Sands of the Heart
by Kiteria
Summary: Fayre isn't your average teenage girl. She wiped out her entire village at a young age because she lost control over a demon living within her that's been in her family's bloodline since the dawn of time...full summary inside. GaaraxOC. please read.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know, I know _another_ story that's probably going to go unfinished. Sorry, but it popped in my head during third period and I couldn't help it. The idea was just too interesting at the time. I hope this turns out okay, I like it, and the one person I've let read it so far likes it too. Hope you guys like it just as much. Please read, review, and above all...enjoy.

**Summary: **Fayre(said Fay-ray) isn't your average teenage girl. She wiped out her entire village at a young age because she lost control over a demon living within her that's been in her family's bloodline since the dawn of time. She gets captured by the Akatsuki and loses that demon and realizes just how alone she truly is. She gets her revenge, but not until a couple years later. Afterwards she wanders the desert she had been raised in aimlessly until she collapses outside the gates of Suna. What will happen when the Sand Siblings meet her? And how will Gaara react when he finds someone who's had a life just like him?

Rated M just in case.

I don't own Naruto, never have and sadly never will. But I do own Fayre, Raja, and the made up village and Hokage from her village.

* * *

-Fayre-

I smirked as they screamed and begged for mercy. I waited for the moment when they ran, naively believing they could get away. They deserved to pay. For ridiculing me. For casting me out for being different, stronger. I'd tried to fit in, I trained hoping they'd accept me, but they only grew to hate me. And that hate grew into fear, and that fear is what feeds my anger towards them all.

"F-Fayre, please! T-T-They didn't mean it!"

The shopkeeper from down the street begged as the three boys who'd called me a freak and a monster hid behind her. Those comments weren't anything new, I'd heard them all before. But when the red haired one had said I was nothing more than an ugly beast that not even my own mother could love I lost it and Raja got loose.

"Yes they did."

I said with a smirk as I raised one of my three tails overhead, ready to strike.

"And you agree with them."

I said before crushing her and her three sons with my tail.

Screams form behind me had me turning and smirking at the fleeing villagers.

'Now they care. Now, it's too late. They will pay for all the pain they've put me through.'

"Lord Kanjo, what do we do?"

I heard one of the ANBU ask the Hokage of the village. I turned to see them standing on the cliff overlooking the village.

"She's left us no choice."

The Hokage said as he glared at me with hate filled eyes.

"Kill her."

They disappeared and I laughed as I captured all of them in my sand. They struggled against me, trying desperately to get free and I crushed them. I relished in the feel of their bones breaking and their blood soaking into my sand.

Houses were destroyed. Women screamed for their husbands, children cried for their mothers and I smiled at the chaos and fear surrounding the almost completely destroyed village. The Hokage appeared before me and did a couple of hand gestures and pressed his hand against my abdomen before I could do anything. I felt Raja being forced into dormancy and cried out. My sand surrounded the Hokage and his jutsu was stopped.

"Nice try."

I said before suffocating him.

I heard someone calling my name and turned to see my mother. She was standing among the bodies of my brother and father, both who had tried to kill me once Raja took over.

"It's okay. You can calm down, it's all over."

She said as she walked towards me. I felt myself changing back as I walked towards her.

'My mother. My mother loves me if no one else does.'

"It's okay."

She said again, her arms wrapping around my half-transformed self. I closed my eyes and started to calm down when I felt her chakra pick up and surround me. My eyes shot open and I glared at her as I tried to get away. She held me close and I attacked her. My tails impaled her and she fell to the ground, but she brought me with her.

She raised a bloody hand and signed with it before pressing it to my stomach and completing the Hokage's jutsu.

"Until you realize you _are_ loved."

She said and I looked up at her. She had tears in her sapphire eyes and it angered me. I pulled back my tails and tore her body to pieces. Her blood curdling scream was the only thing I could hear.

My eyes snapped open and I shot up from my bed of sand and twigs. My breathing was shallow and I could fell my heart beating frantically in my chest. I looked around and calmed down as I remembered where I was.

'Damn it!'

I yelled in my mind and heard Raja laugh at me.

'**You are lacking in restraint child.'**

He said with a smirk and I growled.

'Be quiet you irritating demon!'

I snapped as I stood up and he laughed again.

'**Don't be cross with me. You should be grateful I did not take over.'**

'Take over? The only reason you _didn't _take over was because there's nothing around for miles. There's nothing for you to destroy.'

I said and his smirk fell.

'**As true as that may be, it is unusual for you to lose restraint like that and fall asleep.'**

Raja said and I sighed as I continued north through this seemingly endless desert. If I hadn't been raised to survive in this kind of climate then I'd have been dead by now.

'What did you expect? The last time I slept was two years ago after we lost control. You couldn't have honestly expected me to keep going forever.'

I said as I walked through the desert.

'**Yeah, but still. It wasn't like you to give in so easily.'**

'How 'bout we come to an agreement? You don't take control when I fall asleep and I'll let you out once every full moon.'

I said and he smiled.

'**Fine by me, but tonight is a night in the full moon cycle, does that count?'**

He asked and I sighed.

'How 'bout we play the quiet game?'

I suggested and Raja laughed before walking away.

'**I can take a hint. Call me if you need me.'**

He said and I shook my head at my inner demon.

'Don't count on it.'

I thought as I kept walking.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Second chapter, hope you guys like it. Read and Review. And i apologize ahead of time if they don't call him Lord Orochimaru, it sounded right so I used it. Sorry. Read and review.

* * *

-Sasuke-

"Lord Orochimaru will be pleased with this one. Get her and bring her to the machine! Lord Orochimaru wants all tail beasts extracted!"

I snapped and the black and red cloaked Akatsuki members disappeared.

"Go with them Sasuke. I don't want any chance of failure."

Orochimaru said and I nodded before slipping out of the cave and heading towards the black haired girl with the three tailed demon within her. It wasn't the same as a jinchuriki, but still just as dangerous.

* * *

-Fayre-

I heard them long before I saw them. Four black and red cloaked figures appeared before me and blocked my path.

"What business do you have with me?"

I asked and boy with short, onyx colored hair to his chin stepped forward. He was wearing a simple black cloak which was different from the red and black swirled designs of the others' cloaks.

"You'll be coming with us."

One said, it sounded like the voice belonged to a female. I looked around and sighed. I was hoping to be left alone, but I guess these people just wont let that happen.

"And why will I be doing that?"

I asked as they all stepped closer to me.

"Because…."

The boy with the onyx colored hair said before I felt something hard hit me in the back of the head and blackness consumed me. Even Raja was knocked out.

"Lord Orochimaru wants what lies within you."

* * *

-Orochimaru-

I smiled as Sasuke walked into the cave with the others. Kabuto and the others were carrying a small, shoulder length black haired child in-between them.

"This child is the one who houses the three tailed demon?"

I asked in disbelief. She looked no older than ten, maybe eleven.

"She is. I can sense a stronger power within her."

Sasuke said and I nodded. He was never wrong.

"Hook her up and get it out."

I said as I moved to get a better view. I enjoyed watching them scream out in agony and plead for us to kill them.

Kabuto nodded before placing the unconscious girl on the metal slab of the machine, strapped her in and turned to face me.

"Whenever you're ready Lord Orochimaru."

He said and I smiled down at him. He pressed a button and my smile widened as the black haired girl's eyes shot open and she screamed out in a mix of pain and horror as the machine started the extraction process.

* * *

-Fayre-

I woke to a pain coursing throughout my body that was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. All I could do was scream. I looked around for some way out and saw I was strapped to some sort of machine and the people in the red and black cloaks were all watching me with amused looks on their faces.

'Raja! What's going on!'

I asked my demon panicked.

**'I don't know, but this machine is pulling us apart. This is probably going to kill me, but we need to destroy it if you want to survive this. Change with me.'**

He said and my eyes widened.

'How will it kil-'

I couldn't finish my sentence as the pain intensified.

"Aghhh!"

**'Change with me Fayre!'**

'But it will kill-'

**'NOW!'**

Raja snapped at me and as the pain increased even more I chose to do as he said.

I clamped my mouth shut and ignored the pain coursing through my body as I relaxed and fully let Raja out of his cage.

"What the hell? Did it kill her already?"

A voice asked.

"No, her life signs are still on the monitor. But it won't take long."

Another said and I growled as I felt my body shift and change. My bones popped out of place and readjusted. My muscles stretched to help form my other self. I growled when I felt the metal cuffs strapping me to this machine cut into my wrists. I slipped my arm out of one of them and ripped the rest of the restraints off my body before standing up and letting my transformation finish. I felt my teeth elongate into fangs and my claws came to deadly points as my hands and feet turned into massive paws and my face lengthened till it was that of mine and Raja's joined form. I felt my fur ripple out form the back of my neck, down the length of my spine and wrap around me before forming my three tails. I growled once more before wrapping my chakra around myself and jumped off the machine I had been strapped to. The cloaked figures all charged at me and I smirked.

I dodged their attacks before retaliating with some of my own. It was funny seeing them try and avoid being hit with my tails, but one wasn't so lucky and I pieced through him. I flung my tail and he went flying into a wall before sinking to the ground motionless. The remaining six didn't look too happy, especially the pale, yellow eyed, black haired man watching from above. They all surrounded me and before I could do anything I was pinned down. I writhed beneath them, but no matter what I did I couldn't get free. One wearing glasses came forward and started to sign next to me.

**'Fayre, you need to get away from here.'**

Raja said inside my mind and I growled at him.

'Don't you think I'm trying?'

**'Fayre, there's no other way out of this. You'll have to use your sand and as soon as you're free, run.'**

'Okay, but that boy with the glasses scares me.'

I said as he finished his signs and pressed his hand to my stomach. I screamed out as a burning sensation took over my body and I felt like someone was pulling at one have of my body while trying to roast the other half.

**'Aghh!'**

Raja screamed in my mind.

'Raja! Raja! What's happening!'

I asked panicked as the pain intensified. This was worse than the machine.

**'They plan on finishing what they started. Fayre, this may be the last time we speak to each other. I never told you this, but I'm sorry that I destroyed your village.'**

He said and I shook my head as I felt tears well up in my eyes. Whether they were from the pain or from the fact that I was losing the only person who'd been in my life since birth I wasn't sure, and honestly, I didn't care.

'Raja no, this isn't the last time we'll-'

**'Fayre listen to me!'**

He said and I winced when I heard him scream in my mind again.

**'I'm sorry. You will have to get through this on your own and I'm sorry. Use your sand and as soon as you're free get out.'**

'But-'

**'DO IT!'**

Raja snapped and me and I nodded at the fading image of my inner demon in my mind.

I wrapped my chakra around me before making the sand surrounding all of us wrap around the cloaked figures and throw them away from me. The boy with glasses smirked down at me before taking his hand away, signing something quickly, then pressing it to my stomach again. The burning feeling intensified and I heard Raja scream in my mind as I screamed in pain. I glared at the boy in front of me before using the sand to wrap around him and throw him away from me.

I wasted no time in getting up and heading for the mouth of the cave I was in. I fell, but got back up onto unsteady legs and ran just like Raja had told me. I heard them coming after me, but stopped when a deep voice said to let me go since I was no longer a threat. I ran as far as I could before I collapsed.

'Raja? Raja, are you there? Raja, speak to me. Please, speak to me!'

I said only to be met by silence. Raja had never ignored me completely and even when he did I could still feel his presence, but this time I felt nothing. I felt completely alone and that's just what I was. I was alone, slowly dying in the desert that I had been raised in and no one cared if I lived or died. My eyes got heavy and I couldn't fight the darkness that tried so desperately to consume me. I closed my eyes and was lost to the darkness that did nothing but help remind me just how alone I truly was now.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I apologize ahead of time if you guys don't like this chapter, but i needed to do some time skippage so I did. Things will get more interesting soon, you'll see. Please read and review.

* * *

-Fayre-

I groaned as I sat up. I felt sand fall from my shoulders and looked down to see my body surrounded by it.

'Just how long was I out?'

I wondered.

'Hey Raja, what happened?'

I asked my demon, but didn't get a response.

'Raja? You there?'

I asked, then images flashed through my mind. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered that Raja had been taken from me.

'That's right, I'm on my own now.'

I thought as I stood up. I slowly made my way in the direction I knew the nearest town was in. I needed to find out who those people were and why they did what they did to me. That, and where I could find them. I was going to make them pay for what they did to me. They _were_ going to pay for what they did. They took Raja away from me. The one constant person that had been in my life since birth.

I stumbled down the streets of the village, ignoring the curious stares I got from the villagers. I headed for the bar and sat down.

"What can I get ya?"

The bartender asked and I looked up to see a boy about seventeen with short black hair cut close to his head, wearing glasses looking at me as he cleaned a glass. I flinched when I saw the glasses and images of the boy with glasses that finished the jutsu flashed through my mind.

"Hey, are you alright?"

He asked, bringing me back to reality.

"Yeah. Can I have something to eat?"

I asked and he nodded before heading into the back only to come out a few minutes later with a bowl ramen.

"Here you go."

He said sitting it on the bar in front of me. I nodded my thanks before digging in. When I finished he looked at me expectantly.

"What?"

I asked after a while.

"You gonna pay for that or what?"

He asked and I blanked.

'Shit, do I even have any money left?'

I wondered as I checked my pockets coming up empty.

'Fuck.'

"Look, we don't give out freebies around here."

He said glaring at me.

"I don't have any money, but I'll pay you back. Got anything you need to be done around here? Leaky roof? Squeaky floors? Crates that need to be moved? Anything?"

I asked and he looked at me surprised before pointing to the back room.

"Yeah. We just got a new shipment of booze that needs to be unloaded. You can do that, but be careful. The backroom is kind of a mess. And don't steal anything."

He said as I headed into the backroom. I growled at him, but he didn't hear me. I looked around at the backroom.

'He hadn't been kidding.'

I thought with a frown. Things were hanging off haphazardly from shelves, the floor was covered in broken bottles, crates, and dead leaves from who knows where. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere.

'There is no way I'll be able to unload the shipment with this room looking like this.'

I thought with a sigh.

'I might as well get started.'

I thought as I rolled up my sleeves.

* * *

**THREE HOURS LATER**

* * *

-Gale-

I waved at the last of the bar patrons as they stumbled out the door. I sighed as I headed towards the back room. I hadn't been able to check up on that girl since the bar got so busy. I opened the door and my mouth dropped. Everything was so clean. The shelves were organized, bottles of booze were lining one wall while crates were against another. The broken bottles had been cleaned up, the dust and cobwebs were gone and I saw that the new shipment was put up as well. I saw the girl from earlier curled up in the far corner fast asleep. I made my way over to her. Her shoulder length black hair covered part of her face, she looked so innocent.

I reached forward to wake her up to thank her, but stumbled back when a wall of sand suddenly blocked my hand.

"What the hell!"

I yelled and the girl stirred. She opened her eyes and looked around. Finally, she turned her turquoise colored eyes at me. Her eyes narrowed at me and I could have sworn I heard her growl at me.

"Don't look at me like that. I was just trying to wake you up to say thanks."

I said as I straightened back up. Her eyes widened before she stood up.

"I cleaned up your back room and unloaded your shipment. My bill's been paid for, I'm outta here."

She said as she walked past me towards the door.

"Hey!"

I said and she froze, but didn't turn around.

"If you need a place to stay you can stay in the room above here. It's empty."

I said and she turned to look at me.

"Why help me out?"

She asked and I shrugged.

"Seems like you could use it."

I said and she turned back around.

"Thanks."

She said before walking out of the room. I heard the door close after her and sighed.

'Just who_ is_ that girl?'

I wondered as I went back into the bar.

* * *

**FOUR YEARS LATER**

* * *

-Fayre-

"Gale!"

I called and he turned to look at me.

"They're at it again."

I said and heard him curse before he grabbed the bat from behind the bar and headed towards the fighting bar patrons. I leaned against the bar and watched. It had been four years since I came to this village and asked for food and wound up having to clean the back room of this bar. I still can't believe Gale offered me the room above here or a job, but it paid off. It kept me fed and I've learned a lot of things during my stay in this village. One being the identity of the cloaked figures that kidnapped me and took Raja from me. And, where they were. I'd decided I'd take time and train myself before going after them, that's why I was still in this town. Nobody other than Gale knew who I was and all he knew was that my name was Mia Tenashki and I ran away from home after my father remarried a woman that wanted to sell me off to a slave trader because I wasn't her idea of a perfect daughter. Of course none of that was true, but he didn't need to know that.

"God. I swear they always fight when they come here."

Gale said as he came back to the bar. I shrugged and he shook his head at me.

"You could have easily dealt with them."

He said and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Do you want your bar patrons dead?"

I asked and he laughed.

"No, but still. It would have saved me a lot of trouble."

He said and I looked out the window. I'd be leaving tonight. Four years was long enough. It was time that Orochimaru and his followers paid for what they did.

"Mia, are you okay?"

Gale asked waving his hand in front of my face. On instinct I grabbed it and twisted his arm behind his back and pushed his hand upwards. He howled in pain and my eyes widened and I stepped back.

"Sorry."

I said quickly and he looked at me.

"Dang. I thought we agreed that you wouldn't use your training on me."

He said and I shrugged.

"Whatever. My shift's over, I'm going to bed."

I said as I put my notepad down and headed for the door.

"Night Mia."

Gale said and I ignored him as I headed for my room above the bar.

I strapped my sai to my thigh, my katana to my back, and dressed in the clothes I'd come to the village in. I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed. I'd grown over the years. I wasn't a kid anymore, but I wasn't fully a woman either. My black cargo pants hugged my slim waist where they met with my light gray off the shoulder halter top. My black hair had grown to my mid-back. I braided it and pulled on my black combat boots. I looked out the window and smiled when I saw the moon was high in the sky. I quickly scribbled a goodbye to Gale and placed a bag of money on the bed before jumping out the window and heading for the cave in the desert where Orochimaru and the Akatsuki members were hiding out. Tonight was the night I got revenge for what they did to me. Tonight was the night they all died.


	4. Chapter 4

-Fayre-

I managed to cover a lot of ground in a very short amount of time. The moon was still high in the sky, illuminating the desert stretched out before me. I knew where Orochimaru's cave was and I wasn't far from it. They'd had four years to gloat about what they did to me, but now it was time for them to pay.

I smiled when I saw the cave. There were two Akatsuki members guarding it from the inside, I could feel their chakras. I hid mine and pulled up my collar to cover the bottom half of my face like a mask. I stalked up to the cave and went around the side. I pulled my dagger out of it's sheath and quickly killed the two guards.

'Two down, eight to go.'

I thought to myself as I crept further into the cave, keeping to the shadows. I heard voices as I went deeper in. I recognized the voice of the onyx haired boy and Orochimaru.

"Now the only one left is Naruto and the nine tailed spirit within him."

The onyx haired boy said and I peeked around the rock face to see where they were. The onyx haired boy was standing to the left of Orochimaru, the boy with the glasses was standing to his right.

"Good."

Orochimaru said and the boy with the glasses turned to him.

"With the Kazekage of Suna dead from the extraction process and Konoha busy trying to help them out, getting a hold of Naruto should be easy."

He said and Orochimaru smiled.

"Then I leave it to you Kabuto."

He said and I growled. I looked around and saw the other six Akatsuki members all standing around the machine that was situated in the middle of the cave.

'So they're doing what they did to me to others. That's just one more reason to kill them.'

I thought as I traveled along the wall until I was behind one of the Akatsuki members.

'They're about to face their worst nightmare.'

I thought before stepping out of the shadows and killing the Akatsuki member before me.

The others shouted in surprise when they saw me, then tried to attack me. I threw my sai at the two closest, they sank into their chests and killed them instantly. I drew my dagger from the sheath on my boot again and looked at the remaining five. Three of them charged at me and I dodged their attacks. I jumped out of their reach and landed in a crouch ontop of the machine. They laughed at me and Kabuto moved to press the button to start the machine and I threw my dagger at him. I smiled when it sank into his hand, pinning it to the cave wall. The others weren't so happy.

They tried attacking me, but I avoided their attacks. Instead, they wound up hitting the machine and destroying it for me.

"You fools!"

Orochimaru called out and I smiled at them all before jumping over them and drawing my katana. They surrounded me and I crouched low, waiting. when the three of them advanced on me I spun and decapitated them all in one swift motion. Their heads fell to the floor, followed by their bodies. I smiled as their blood soaked into the sand. I spun my katana before looking over at Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the onyx haired boy. The only three remaining.

"Who do you think you are!"

Kabuto yelled as he pulled my dagger out of the wall, freeing his hand. I glared at him before jumping and appearing behind him. He turned in surprise and I knocked him to the ground and took my dagger back from him only to ram it through his chest, straight into his heart. His eyes widened behind his glasses and I smiled down at him as his eyes rolled back in his head.

I heard a noise behind me and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid being run through with the onyx haired boy's kunai knife.

"Sasuke, be careful. This one is skilled."

Orochimaru said and I narrowed my eyes at him. With my dagger still embedded in Kabuto's chest, I resorted to using my katana again. Sasuke charged at me and I blocked his attack. I pushed away from him before disappearing form his view and appearing behind him. I pushed him against the wall with my katana against his throat. I felt fear spike in his chakra and saw it in his onyx eyes before I sliced his throat. He was around my age, but he'd picked the wrong person to mess with.

I flicked the blood from my katana and turned to look at Orochimaru who was surveying the damage I'd just caused. I walked towards him only to have a kunai thrown at me. I stopped and it landed a few feet away from me.

"Just who are you?"

He asked glaring at me. I tightened my grip on my katana before charging at him. How dare he. He and his group of followers kidnapped me, took away the one person I cared about in the world, and he doesn't even recognize me!

He knocked me back and I dropped my katana as my head hit the cave wall.

'Fuck.'

I thought as Orochimaru advanced on me. I had no more weapons, and no means of defense.

"Hahaha, seems like your little game is over. You will pay for killing my men."

He said before plucking my dagger from Kabuto's chest and throwing it at me. I didn't even have time to raise my arms to try and protect myself. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to come, but it never did. I opened my eyes to see a wall of sand protecting me from the dagger.

"What is this? You have a tailed beast within you?"

Orochimaru yelled in disbelief, but I ignored him as I stared at the sand hovering in the air a few inches away from me. I couldn't believe it. I could still control sand, just like Raja had taught me. He may be gone, but I still have a piece of him with me.

I felt tears in my eyes as I remembered the urgency in Raja's voice on that night. And his apology. I glared up at Orochimaru who was looking at me in shock. I used the sand still holding the dagger and threw it at him. He didn't have time to block it and it landed in his throat, cutting off his airway. I stood up and walked over to him as he fell to his knees. I grabbed the hilt of the dagger and twisted it, causing him to try and cry out, but he only managed to cough up blood. He fell to the ground and I smiled down at him.

"W-Who are you?"

He managed to croak out as blood seeped from his neck. I reached up with one of my hands and pulled down my collar to reveal my face. I saw Orochimaru's yellow eyes widen in recognition.

"I'm the one you took everything from. I'm the one you should have killed, not Raja, because I'm more of a demon than he was."

I said before yanking the dagger out of his throat and slashing it across his exposed neck, killing the last of the people who made me suffer.

I stood up and let the dagger fall from my hand. I picked up my katana and my sai, then left the cave. I'd gotten my revenge, but why did I still feel so empty inside? I wandered through the desert till the sun peaked over the horizon. I made my way to an overhang of rocks and rested for a bit. I used my sand to clean the blood from my weapons, but didn't bother with the blood covering my body. I rested for a bit, then started walking again. I didn't know where I was going, all I knew was that I couldn't stay where I was. I had to keep going, I had to live.


	5. Chapter 5

**-FOUR YEARS LATER-**

-No one-

Fayre had wandered the desert for the past four years. Occasionally stopping by a town or village for food and water only to be gone by morning. However, this time she hadn't come across a settlement for a while and she was starving and dehydrated. Though she was raised to survive in the desert, she was slowly reaching her limit and she knew this. But she still kept moving, she refused to stay still.

* * *

-Fayre-

'I can't die like this.'

I thought as I looked up at the blistering sun high above me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had something to eat, let alone something to drink. I could feel my fatigue catching up to me and knew I wouldn't be able to last much longer, but I refused to stop and rest because I knew that if I stopped then I wouldn't be able to move again. Wandering was the only thing that's kept me distracted from the hollow feeling I feel from when I lost Raja. I'd gotten my revenge and that should make me happy, but I still had an empty feeling inside me that wouldn't go away, but I could ignore it so long as I kept moving and didn't stop for too long.

I thought I saw a village in the distance, but my vision was going so I couldn't be too sure. My legs moved by themselves, I no longer had the will to move them. I felt my stomach clawing at my spine, begging for some kind of food. My throat was parched and it was hard to breathe in the hot, dry air of the desert around me. I looked up to see the gates of some kind of village and sighed in relief, then my body gave out on me. I fell to the ground, unable to move anymore. The sand was a soft blanket and I was too tired to refuse it's tempting call. I closed my eyes and slipped into the darkness I had been trying to avoid for so long.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry that it's short, but at least I updated. The story is getting to where I want, so yay. Please read and review. Love you all, later.


	6. Chapter 6

-Temari-

"I can't believe he sent me to do what Gaara told him to do. Stupid Kankuro."

I grumbled to myself as I made my way back to Suna from Konoha. Tsunade had asked for Gaara's approval on something and Gaara'd asked Kankuro to deliver it, but Kankuro dumped it on me.

'At least I'll get to relax once I get back.'

I thought as I ran across the desert back to Suna. I stopped as I neared the gate. There was a figure lying in the sand. I walked closer and saw it was a girl around my age, but she looked pretty beat up. Her pants and shirt were caked in blood, but I couldn't tell if it belonged to her or not. Her face was covered in both dirt and blood. I noticed the sai strapped to her thighs and the katana strapped to her back, though its sheath was almost hidden by her mid-back length jet black hair. It looked like she'd been through a lot and I could tell she probably hadn't eaten in at least the past week. I moved closer and a wall of sand shot up and cut me off. I stumbled back in surprise and wound up falling on my ass.

"W-What the hell?"

I asked outloud to myself. Just who was this girl?

As I looked closer I saw she had dark circles around her eyes like Gaara has from when he had Shukaku inside him. I slowly stood up and cautiously made my way back over to the girl. She looked so fragile, so innocent.

'I can't just leave her here, she could die.'

I thought as I looked down at the girl. I sighed to myself before reaching out to her. I was shocked when the sand didn't react again, but I was grateful. I picked the girl up and slung her onto my back. My eyes widened when her arms automatically tightened around my neck, but it wasn't so tight that I couldn't breathe so I let it be. It was easier to carry her that way anyways. I made my way through the gates and headed for my house. Once I got there I went up the stairs and headed for the spare room at the end of the hall. I kicked open the door and laid the girl down on the bed. I heard her whine in her sleep and looked at her.

'I don't want to wake her, but I need to know if that's her blood or not.'

I thought to myself. After a while of debating, I decided to just let her sleep and find out for myself if the blood on her clothes belonged to her or not.

After finding that the blood didn't belong to the girl I sighed in relief, though it did make me wonder where it came from if not from her. I shrugged it off seeing as how I couldn't ask her at the moment and grabbed a set of my clothes and laid them on the bedside table, then I grabbed a rag and washed the blood and dirt from her face. I would have gotten the blood and dirt from the rest of her body, but I didn't know this girl and besides, Kankuro was expecting me to report to him so he could report back to Gaara. I sighed before tossing the towel in the hamper, closing the door, and heading out of the house towards the Kazekage building.

'I'm sure she'll be fine. By the looks of it, it doesn't seem like she's going to wake up any time soon.'

I thought as I walked down the street. I sighed as I tried to think of where the girl could have come from. Suna was a few days away from Konoha and the other villages surrounding us, but I had a feeling like that girl wasn't from anywhere near here. I sighed again as I walked into the Kazekage building. Kankuro looked up at me from the couch with a hopeful smile.

"So?"

He asked and I groaned.

* * *

-Kankuro-

Temari groaned once I asked her how it went.

"It was a long, drawn out process of trying to convince Lady Tsunade that Gaara really did agree to her proposal and that I'd have to see what he'd like to do about it once he gets better."

She said as she came and sat next to me.

"So then, she knows he agreed, but is waiting to hear what he wants to do about it once he gets better?"

I asked trying to understand it all before I went upstairs and told Gaara about the mission I didn't go on.

"I just said that didn't I?"

Temari snapped and I shrugged as I stood up.

"Whatever."

I said before walking up the stairs and heading for Gaara's office.

He was sitting behind the desk, working on a pile of paperwork that the Council had given him. We'd told them that he needed time to recover, but they just wouldn't listen. He looked up as soon as I opened the door.

"So? How was the mission?"

He asked as I walked further into the room.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call it a mission, but it went fine."

I said as I looked around before going over to the couch in the corner of the room and lying down.

"And what did Lady Tsunade say about my response?"

He asked, ignoring the paper work on his desk to debrief me on my 'mission'.

"She knows that you've agreed with her proposal, the only thing I had problems with was convincing her to wait until you got better before bothering you with anymore problems. She said she'd wait until you got better before asking you what you wanted to do about it."

I said and he nodded, then went back to his paper work.

"You know Gaara, Temari and I can take care of all of this. Why don't you go and rest."

I suggested and he looked up at me.

"No, this is the job of the Kazekage and that's me. Not you two."

He said and I sighed before standing up.

"Look, you're still recovering and you need your rest. I'll take care of this. At least go get something to eat. I bet you haven't had anything all day."

I said and when he didn't say anything in response I knew I was right.

"Fine. But if there's anything you don't understand, ask me."

He said as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Yeah, yeah."

I said and he shook his head at me before walking out of the room. I sighed at what I'd just volunteered myself to do, then sat down and read over the paper work on Gaara's desk.

'How in the world does he deal with all of this?'

I wondered as I signed the bottom of the paper and moved on to the next one.

* * *

-Gaara-

I sighed to myself as I walked down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. Kankuro had been right when he'd said I hadn't had anything to eat all day, but I couldn't help it. The Council had given me so much paper work to deal with that I just couldn't get away. I walked into the kitchen to see Temari standing at the stove and I froze.

'Oh for the love of God tell me she's not planning on cooking anything.'

I thought before I heard her talking to herself.

"Even though I doubt she'll wake up, if she does I'm sure she'll be hungry. But, what would she want? Hell, I'm sure she wouldn't care if it was friggin' minced meat, so long as it was food."

She said and i crossed my arms and leaned against the doorjam.

"What in the world are you mumbling about to yourself?"

I asked and she jumped before turning around to face me.

"Gaara! What are you doing down here?"

She asked and I shrugged as I pushed off from the wall and headed towards the fridge. I was pretty sure there was still some miso soup left from the night Ino had come over.

"Kankuro told me what happened on his mission, said he'd take over, so I decided to get something to eat."

I said as I pulled out the bowl of miso soup.

"That's perfect!"

Temari yelled before taking the bowl of miso soup out of my hands and pouring it into a pot and heating it up on the stove. She then poured it into a bowl, grabbed a spoon, a glass of water, then headed for the door. I blinked a couple of times, trying to understand what just happened. When it dawned on me I ran after my sister.

"Temari! Give me back my miso soup!"

I yelled, but it didn't seem like she could hear me. I saw she was heading back to our house and I followed. I wanted that miso soup.

I got the our house only to see Temari was gone. I walked upstairs following her chakra and found her in the spare bedroom at the end of the hall.

'What the hell?'

I wondered as I walked closer. I opened the door only to stop when I saw my sister sitting in a chair next to the bed that had a girl lying in it. She looked to be about nineteen. Her jet black hair went down to her mid-back and framed her face. Her clothes were covered in a mix of dirt and blood, but I could tell the blood wasn't her own.

"Temari…."

I said and my sister turned to look at me in shock.

"Gaara, I can explain."

She started, but I cut her off as I walked further into the room.

"Who is she?"

I asked as I got closer.

"I don't know. I found her collapsed outside the gates of the village."

She said and I nodded, never taking my eyes off the girl. I smelled miso soup and looked at the bedside table to see the bowl of my stolen miso soup.

"So you took my soup to give to this girl?"

I asked and Temari looked up at me in shock.

"Oh, you wanted that? My bad."

She said and I sighed at my sister.

"It's fine, she can have it. When do you think she'll wake up?"

I asked and she shook her head as she stood up.

"I'm not sure. She's been asleep for a while now."

She said and I nodded.

"Gaara, do you think you could look after her for a little bit? I need to go out and get some things."

She said and was gone before I could even say anything in response.

I sighed before taking the seat by the bed that my sister had previously occupied.

'So much for getting some food and some rest.'

I thought as I looked over the girl again. Despite looking starved and being covered in dirt and blood, she was quite attractive. She had a slim waist and a nice figure, but there was something else. I felt that there was something in her chakra that made her different from everyone else, and yet, it reminded me of myself.

I heard her groan and looked up at her face. Her eyes opened and I stared into the most beautiful pair of turquoise eyes I'd ever seen.


	7. Chapter 7

-Fayre-

I opened my eyes and stared into the teal colored eyes of a red haired boy that looked to be about my age. I noticed instantly he was wearing Kazekage robes.

'So he's the Kazekage of whatever village I'm in. Question is, how did I wind up here and where am I?'

I wondered as I looked around the room. I noticed I was lying in a small bed in a pretty decent sized room. It was bare except for the bed, chair, couch, and bedside table. I looked back at the red haired boy and looked him over. He was definitely around my age, looked like he could use a good nights rest, and was medium build. He wasn't one of those idiots who thought muscles were everything. He was definitely nice to look at.

It was then that I noticed something was different about him. His eyes. His eyes held the same sort of look I'd seen so many times in puddles and oases as I wandered the desert. They had the same look that mine had. A look of pain, of sorrow. Of someon who knows what it's like to be hated. Feared. Unloved.

"It's good to see you're awake."

He said and his voice brought me out of my thoughts. I blinked before looking at him. I avoided looking at his eyes. I didn't want to be reminded of my past, of the fact I was unwanted.

"Right, well my name is Gaara and I'm the Kazekage of Suna, the village you're in now."

He said and I nodded.

'That answers where I am, but not how I got here.'

I thought as Gaara continued.

"My sister found when she was coming back from a mission and brought you here. You've been unconcious for a while."

He said, once again answering my unspoken questions.

"Do you have a name?"

He asked and I froze. I didn't know this guy and I didn't want to tell him who I was, but I wasn't going to just ignore him so I nodded.

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

He asked and I shook my head.

"Okay, will you at least tell me what happened to you that had you collapse outside my village covered in blood?"

He asked and I looked down at my hands as flashes of me killing the Akatsuki ran through my mind, and that of course brought about images of when they took Raja from me.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes and couldn't do anything to stop them from falling down my face. I had tried running from the pain of losing Raja and being left alone, but I could only run from it for so long. Now that I'd gotten revenge for what they did I had no other choice but to face it.

"H-Hey, why are you crying? What's wrong?"

Gaara asked, but I ignored him. I brought my knees to my chest and buried my face into my hands.

* * *

-Gaara-

I had no idea what happened. One moment I was trying to figure out who this girl was and what had happened to her, and the next thing I know she starts crying. I can't stand it when women cry.

"Temari!"

I yelled as I stood up and headed for the door.

"What is it? Did she wake up...?"

Temari asked as she got to the door. She saw the girl sitting on the bed crying and her eyes widened before she pushed past me into the room and sat next to the girl.

"Gaara, what did you do?"

She accused and I glared at her.

"I didn't do anything! I was just asking who she was and what happened to her, then she suddenly starts crying."

I said and Temari looked down at the black haired girl. She pulled her to her and the girl buried her face in my sister's chest.

"There there, it's alright."

Temari cooed, but the girl kept crying. I felt uncomfortable in a room with a crying girl so I left. I went back to the Kazekage building and laid down on the couch since Kankuro still wouldn't let me do any work.

'Just who was that girl and what made her suddenly start crying like that?'

I wondered as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

-Temari-

I couldn't help but smile when I noticed Gaara left. He never could stand to see a woman cry, even when he had Shukaku and enjoyed killing. A whimper from the girl in my arms brought me out of my thoughts.

"Shhh. It's okay, calm down."

I said softly as I started to rock to and fro. I was shocked to see it calmed her a bit, and after a while her sobs turned to sniffles and she finally calmed down.

"Feel better?"

I asked and she nodded as she pulled away from me.

"My name's Temari, and I'm Gaara's sister."

I said and she looked at me. It looked like she was judging whether or not she could trust me.

"You're the one who found me? Outside the village I mean."

She asked in a soft voice.

"Yes. I was coming back from a mission and found you collapsed outside the village."

I said and she nodded.

"Sorry."

She said and I looked at her confused.

"For what?"

I asked as she wiped her eyes.

"For inconviencing you."

She said and I blinked in surprise.

"Don't be, I chose to bring you to the village."

I said and she shook her head.

"Look, it's okay. Really."

I said and she finally looked me in the eyes. I was shocked to see her eyes looked so similar to Gaara's.

"What's your name?"

I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Fayre."

She said and I smiled at her.

"Well Fayre, if you need you can stay here. Gaara usually stays at the Kazekage office and this is a guest room in our house. My room is down the hall to the left, my brother Kankuro's room is down the hall to the right, and Gaara's room is straight across the hall from yours. Though he's never there."

I said and she blinked a couple of times before saying something.

"Why would you offer your home to me? I'm a complete stranger."

She said and I smiled at her again.

"Because, I can tell you're like Gaara. I can tell by the look in your eyes."

I said and she looked down.

"And besides..."

I said and she looked up.

"I can't let you leave until I'm sure you'll be fine on your own. I can tell you havne't eaten in a while and you look like you could use a bath."

I said and she blushed.

I smiled again as I stood up.

"I'll heat up that miso soup and you can eat dinner with me down in the kitchen. You can borrow some of my clothes till we get you some of your own. I'll put them in there, just go ahead and hop in the shower."

I said and she nodded before getting up off the bed and heading for the bathroom. I took the bowl of now cold miso soup and poured it in a pot and put it on the stove, then I went back upstairs and grabbed some of my old clothes that looked like they'd fit Fayre and put them in the bathroom before closing the door after me. I headed back downstairs and checked on the miso soup as I waited for her to finish. All I knew about her was her name, I wonder what else there is to know about her.


	8. Chapter 8

-Fayre-

I washed the blood and dirt from my hair and body and just stood in the shower letting the hot water rain down on me as I let the tears run down my face. I'd cried earlier, but now I was fully letting it out. I'd lost the only person I'd had with me, the only person who wanted me. I was alone.

_'Raja, I miss you.'_

I thought as I wiped my tears only to have them replaced with more.

_'Look at me, if Raja was still with me he'd call me weak for crying. He wouldn't want me to dwell on the past, he'd want me to move on and keep living.'_

I thought before taking a deep breath and wiping my eyes. I shut the water off and stepped out just as the door opened. I turned to see a brown haired boy that looked a few years older than me standing in the doorway. He blinked in surprise, but didn't move. I crossed my arms over my chest and switched my weight over to my left leg.

"Enjoying the show?"

I asked and he blushed, but still didn't move.

"You just gonna stand there or are you gonna leave to give me some privacy?"

I asked and his blush darkened before he left, slamming the door behind him. I rolled my eyes before grabbing a towel and drying off. Most girls would have screamed and covered themselves, but I don't care for that guy so I don't give a damn if he saw me naked. I had no reason to be embarrassed, I had a body and I wasn't gonna be ashamed of it.

I pulled on the black mesh ninja undershirt before pulling on the pair of black cargo pants and off the shoulder halter top Temari had given me. I towel dried my hair before throwing it into the hamper and walked out of the bathroom. I headed downstairs and walked into the kitchen just as Temari sat down with two bowls of miso soup.

"Feel better?"

She asked and I nodded.

"Thanks for the clothes."

I said and she smiled at me as I sat down.

"I'm just glad they fit."

She said and I nodded before picking up my spoon and starting to eat the miso soup she'd sat before me.

"Hey Temari…..who's the girl upstairs?"

A voice said from behind me, but I ignored it and ate my soup.

"Ah! It's you!"

I turned to see the brown haired boy from earlier.

"Hi."

I said before turning back around and eating my soup.

"You two know each other?"

Temari asked as the boy sat down next to her. I saw him blush out of the corner of my eye and sighed to myself.

"I saw him on my way down the stairs."

I said quickly and the boy looked at me and I just looked back at him as if he hadn't just seen me naked. He blushed again before looking away.

I finished my soup and Temari cleared the table.

"So, have you decided if you want to stay here or not?"

She asked and I looked up at her. I thought about it a minute.

_'What's the harm? I have a place to sleep. Food, water, and they seem like nice people. Why the hell not?'_

"I'll stay as long as I'm welcome."

I said and she smiled at me.

"Alright then. The guest room is now your room. If you need anything just ask me or Kankuro."

She said and I nodded before standing up and heading back upstairs. All that crying and miso soup had made me sleepy.

* * *

**FOUR DAYS LATER**

* * *

-Temari-

"Hey Tem, think me and you could go out later?"

Fayre asked and I nodded.

"Sure."

I said and she smiled before walking out of the room.

"How did you get her to be so open with you?"

Kankuro asked as he came and helped me with the dishes.

"I just treat her like I would a friend, thought the fact that I'm the only other girl she knows may have something to do with it."

I said and Kankuro sighed.

"Why?"

I asked as I handed him the last dish and let the water out.

"I don't like the fact that it's awkward every time she looks at me."

He said and I laughed.

"Well, you did walk in on her and see her naked the first day she was here. Maybe if you apologized she'd open up to you more."

I said and he nodded. He walked off and I shook my head at him, Kankuro never liked being disliked by a woman.

I looked at the clock and noticed it was almost six.

'_Gaara won't be home til late tonight, I should take him something to eat.'_

I thought before grabbing the plate of food I'd made for him from dinner and heading towards the door. I was putting on my shoes when I felt Fayre's chakra behind me.

"Where ya going Tem?"

She asked and I looked over my shoulder at her. She was still wearing my clothes since we hadn't had the change to go out and buy her her own yet.

"I was just gonna go give Gaara his dinner. If you want, you can come with and we can go out afterwards."

I said and she smiled before pulling on her shoes and following me out the door.

* * *

-Gaara-

I sighed as my stomach growled again. I was starving, but I was dreading going home because it was Temari's night to cook. Kankuro's cooking wasn't much better, but at least with his I could tell what it was.

I heard a knock at the door and groaned when I felt Temari's chakra behind it. That could only mean one thing, she was bringing me dinner.

"Come in."

I said and the door opened and Temari walked in carrying a plate of some kind of food. I was shocked to see the girl that was staying in the house come in behind her. I'd still yet to learn who she was or how she came to be collapsed outside the village. It seemed that the only person she talked openly with was Temari, though then again I hadn't been home in the last four days so I hadn't really had a chance to get to know her.

"I brought you dinner Gaara."

Temari said and I nodded as she put it on the desk next to my elbow. I scowled at it and pushed it away the moment Temari turned her back. I heard what sounded like a stifled laugh and looked up to see the girl looking at me.

"Come on Fay, we can go shopping now."

Temari said and I watched as the girl stood up from the couch. She looked a lot healthier than the first time I saw her. Then again, she wasn't covered in blood and dirt this time.

"Later Gaara."

Temari said as she left. The girl followed, but stopped at the door and turned to look back at me.

"If you want, I can cook you something when you get home. Just knock twice on my door and I'll know it's you."

She said before leaving. I blinked in confusion a few times before looking down at the plate of food Temari had brought me. It was black and I could have sworn it just moved.

I shivered before pushing it off the desk down into the trash. I could wait till I got home to eat. I just hope that girl's cooking is better than Temari's.


	9. Chapter 9

-Fayre-

Temari led the way through Suna till we found a store we could agree on. She dragged me to the back and I glared at her the moment I saw dresses and frilly, girly clothes.

"I don't think so Tem."

I said and heard her whine.

"Come on Fayre, I want to see what you'd look like."

She said and I shook my head as I grabbed her hand and pulled her away to the section of the store where I'd actually _buy_ something.

"Maybe if I ever have a reason to wear them, but don't bet on it."

I said and heard her sigh before she helped me pick out some clothes.

Once we bought my clothes we headed out and headed back.

"Thanks for going out with me Temari."

I said and she waved a hand in the air as if it wasn't anything big.

"Don't mention it. I usually never get to go shopping."

She said and I laughed at her as I walked up the stairs and headed for my room. I saw Kankuro waiting outside my room.

_'Wonder what he wants?'_

I wondered as I walked past him into my room. I started to put my new clothes away when I heard him clear his throat.

"What?"

I asked without turning around. I was almost done anyways.

"I….I wanted to say sorry for walking in on you the first day you were here."

He said and I turned my head to look at him and saw he was looking at his feet, his face a bright pink. I couldn't help but laugh at him. His blush darkened and I walked over to him.

"It's fine man. I was wondering when you'd finally get up the nerve to say something to me."

I said with a smile and he looked up at me in surprise.

"What?"

He asked confused and I laughed.

"I'd forgotten about that already. I was just waiting for you to come and talk to me."

I said and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me."

He said and I shook my head as I slung my arm over his shoulder making him bend down a bit since he was taller than me.

"Now that you finally talked to me, we can be friends."

I said and he just blinked.

"Right after you get out so I can change."

I said and he blushed as I pushed him out the door.

"I…."

He started, but I cut him off.

"Later Kanky!"

I said before shutting the door in his face. I sighed before turning back to my clothes that were still strewn across my bed. I walked over and picked up a pair of black cargo pants and a red off the shoulder halter top. I stripped out of Temari's clothes, pulled on my own ninja mesh undershirt, then pulled on my pants and shirt. Then I put the rest of my clothes away.

I turned towards my bed and found that a nap sounded heavenly. I laid down and closed my eyes, letting sleep claim me.

* * *

-Gaara-

I finished my paperwork and headed home. My stomach was growling the entire walk home. I groaned as I closed the door after me. I looked at the clock on the stove in the kitchen, it was 10:30.

_'Temari and Kankuro should be asleep by now.'_

I thought and my stomach growled again, making me growl with it.

_'It's moments like these when I hate the fact that I can't cook.'_

I thought to myself before remembering what that girl had said before leaving my office. Temari had said she was living with us and she'd offered to cook me some food if I was hungry when I got home, which I was.

_'I wonder if she's already asleep.'_

I thought as I silently climbed the steps. I followed her scent to the door down the hall from my own. One of the perks of being a former host, my sense of smell is still sharp.

I stopped in front of her door.

_'If she's asleep I don't want to wake her up.'_

I thought before my stomach growled again.

_'Oh screw it, I'm fuckin starving here!'_

I thought before knocking on her door twice like she'd told me. I waited and was about to knock again when I heard sounds from the other side of the door. I heard her curse before the door opened to reveal her standing in the doorway wearing a red off the shoulder halter top, exposing the black ninja mesh shirt underneath. Her black cargo pants hugged her slim waist, but they were crinkled. Her waist length black hair framed her face, but stuck up in random places. I bit my lip to keep from moaning. She looked like a goddess who'd just woken up after a long night in bed.

"Mmyes?"

She asked as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. I snapped out of it and looked her in the eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

I said, but she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't like the dream I was having anyway."

She said with a smile and my heart sped up.

_'What the hell is wrong with me? She just smiled at me and my heart's going crazy.'_

I thought as I mentally shook myself.

"You're hungry right?"

She asked and I looked up at her.

"A li-"

I started, but got cut off by my stomach. She laughed and I blushed.

_'She's laughing at me.'_

I thought with a frown.

"Come on then."

She said grabbing my hand and pulling me after her down the stairs.

"Let's feed that monster before he decides to eat you from the inside out."

She said as we entered the kitchen.

She let go of my hand and walked over to the fridge. I stared at my hand and noticed instantly how cold it felt now that she wasn't holding it. I shook my head and cleared my mind.

"What to make? What to make?"

She asked herself as she knelt down in front of the fridge and looked inside. I sat down at the island and watched her. She seemed perfectly at ease around me whereas other people were always nervous or scared even though I no longer had Shukaku.

"Ah!"

I jumped when she suddenly shouted, but relaxed when I saw her pull out two steaks, a head of lettuce, and four potatoes. She walked over to the counter and laid everything down. She cut on the stove after pulling out a frying pan.

I watched her as she moved about the kitchen as if she knew exactly what she was doing and I hoped she did. She cut up the lettuce and put it in a bowl on the island in front of me, then she put the potatoes in aluminum foil and put them in the oven before turning to me.

"How do you like your steak?"

She asked and I blinked in surprise at her.

"Hello, anybody home?"

She asked waving a hand in front of my face. On instinct, I grabbed her arm and we both froze. I felt a tingling feeling like being shocked from where my skin touched hers. Her eyes met mine and I found I couldn't look away.

The timer beeped and she tore her gaze from mine. She moved to get the potatoes and I let her go.

_'What was that?'_

I wondered as I heard her set the potatoes in a bowl on the table.

"I can't cook your steak if you don't tell me how you like it."

She said and I looked up to see her looking at me.

_'I eat it rare, but I can't tell her that. She'll think it's gross just like everybody else.'_

I thought before answering.

"Well done."

I lied and she made a face.

"What?"

I asked confused.

"I can't stand it cooked like that. There's no flavor left."

She said as she turned back towards the stove. I looked at her back confused.

"Well how do _you_ like your steaks cooked?"

I asked curiously and saw her lips curve up into a smirk.

"Rare."

She said and my eyes widened in shock.

"Why?"

I asked as she started to cook the steaks.

"Because Raj…I just do."

She started to say something, but then changed it.

_'What was she going to say?'_

I wondered.

"Cook mine rare. I prefer it that way."

I said as I looked down at the table covered in delicious food. I put two potatoes in a bowl, then made a salad and set them down in front of me.

"But you said you liked your steaks well done."

She said and I smirked as I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the ranch, cheese, butter, sour cream, and steak sauce. I set them down on the island and walked over to her.

"I lied."

I said in her ear before walking back to the island and sitting down.

Silence followed and I made my potato and salad the way I liked it. She came over after having cut the stove off and sat across from me.

"Here."

She said handing me a plate. I took it from her and my hand touched hers and that shocking feeling returned. She took her hand back as she started to fix her food. I started to eat, thinking silently to myself until I realized how delicious the food tasted.

"Oh my God!"

I said and she looked up at me.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

She asked and I shook my head.

"No. It's just I haven't had anything this good since Sakura came over last year for Christmas."

I said and saw her eyes brighten, then darken, but I couldn't understand why.

* * *

-Fayre-

I felt so happy when he said he liked the food, until he mentioned that Sakura girl.

_'Wait a minute, why am I getting jealous of a girl I don't even know? Better yet, what do I care if he likes her food more than mine? I don't like him.'_

I thought, but I couldn't help it. It made me feel bad to hear him talk about another girl. I ate my food in silence and when I finished I put my dishes in the sink and leaned against it facing him. I looked him over as he ate, he seemed oblivious to it so I took the chance I was given. His red hair seemed a bit shaggier than the first time I saw him, but then again that was four days ago and I was kinda in hysterics at the time. He was lean, and I could tell he was no stranger to fighting. He was muscled, but not too much. His eyes were what really caught my attention though, just like they had the first time I'd looked into them. The color was a beautiful teal, but what his eyes _told_ me is what got my attention. They told me that he had a rough upbringing and probably understood my pain better than anyone. Well he would, if I were to ever tell him. He suddenly looked up and his eyes met mine. My face heated up and I heard my heart rate pick up.

_'What the hell is wrong with me? Kankuro doesn't have this effect on me and what the hell was that when he touched me? It felt like I was being shocked by something, but it wasn't painful. I actually, liked it.'_

I thought before looking away from him.

_'No, bad Fayre! You barely know him, and besides. He'd be like every other guy once he learned what I've done.'_

I thought, but I couldn't ignore the little voice in the back of my mind that asked 'would he really?'

"Thank you for the meal."

He said and I looked up to see he was done. I walked over to him and gathered up his dishes. I took them to the sink and placed them inside my own. I turned around and sat down at the island opposite him. I honestly didn't feel like going back to sleep.

I looked at my hands, I could feel his eyes on me and felt my face heat up. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't control my body around him. My heart rate picked up, I blushed, and I could barely resist the urge to look into his eyes.

"So…"

He said and I froze.

"How are you liking Suna so far?"

He asked and I laughed making him look at me weird. He was honestly trying to make small talk with me.

"It's fine."

I said as I got my giggles under control. He narrowed his eyes at me, but I just smiled at him.

"Okay. What about here? Is Temari and Kankuro treating you alright?"

He asked and I nodded.

"Yes. Temari's actually really nice and Kanky. Well, let's just say Kanky got to know me a lot better than I know him."

I said and he looked at me confused.

"What do you-"

"Believe me, you're better off not knowing."

I said and he just nodded. I could see in his eyes that he had several questions he wanted to ask me, but he was holding himself back. After a while of uncomfortable silence I sighed.

"Go ahead and ask me already."

I said and he blinked in surprise before looking at me confused.

"I can tell you want to ask me things, so just go ahead and ask."

I said and he just looked at me, but he did ask me a question.

"What happened to you to make you collapse outside my village?"

He asked and it took me a minute to remember I was talking to the Kazekage.

"It's a long story and I'm sure you'd like to get to bed."

I said and he glared at me.

"I don't sleep."

He said and I sighed.

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

I asked and he just smirked at me.

"Let's just say I was taking care of some….business."

I said and he looked at me curiously.

"What kind of business?"

He asked. I don't know why, but for some reason I felt like I could trust him. I honestly couldn't help it, the words just tumbled out of my mouth and I couldn't stop them.

"Getting my revenge on the bastards that took someone very dear to me away."

I said and his eyes widened a fraction before he asked his next question.

"Who did they take away from you?"

He asked and I sighed as I realized I was about to tell my story to a complete stranger, but what was odd about it was the fact that I didn't care.

"Raja, my inner demon."


	10. Chapter 10

-Gaara-

I stared at her in shock.

_'Did she just say her inner demon? So then she's like me?'_

I wondered.

"I-Inner demon?"

I asked after a while and she nodded.

"I'll tell you my story Gaara, but you have to let me finish."

She said and I nodded.

"Well, I was born with an inner demon named Raja. Everyone in my family has had an inner demon within them since the dawn of time, it's in our blood. We have relatively good control over our demons unless our emotions get in the way, which is what happened to me when I was younger. Some kids had been picking on me, calling me a freak and a monster, but when they said no one could love me I lost it and Raja took over."

She said and I watched as her eyes took on a far away look as if she was reliving it as she was telling me.

"I chased them down and killed all three of them as well as their mother, but I didn't stop there. The entire village treated me as if they hated me, because they did. I was the strongest from my family to be born and it made people fear me, and that fear turned into hate. I was only nine when I wiped out my entire village."

She said and my eyes widened in shock. She was like me.

"After that I wandered the desert where I'd grown up. One day a group of people stopped me. They were wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them. I didn't know who they were, but they knocked me unconscious. When I woke up I was strapped to a machine of sorts and heard them talking about extracting the demon within me. Raja helped me get out, but he was taken from me in the process."

She said and I saw tears in her eyes.

_'So she had a demon like me, but also lost it like I did.'_

I thought as I listened to more of her story.

"I should have died afterwards and would have except for the fact that Raja's last words kept repeating themselves over and over in my mind. He wanted me to live, so I did. I wandered the desert, stopping from time to time in villages but only staying long enough to get food and water before leaving. If I stayed in one spot for too long I started to think of what had happened to me and the pain was too much. I had stopped at one village and stayed and got a job, but once I caught wind of the group that had taken Raja from me I was gone. I hunted them down and killed them. I killed them and destroyed the machine they'd used on me to take Raja from me. They'd been talking about taking other tailed beasts from their hosts, so it was an added bonus that I killed them and destroyed the machine so they couldn't use it on anyone else."

She said and I couldn't believe it. This girl had wiped out her entire village, got captured by the Akatsuki like I had, lost her demon like I had, but had gotten her revenge and stopped them from being able to hurt anyone else like they had us.

"I moved on like I always had, but this time the pain of losing Raja finally caught up to me and I couldn't move anymore. I was starved, dehydrated, and my body was exhausted. That's when I collapsed. When I woke up I was in a bed here, you know the rest already."

She said and I stared at her in wonder. She'd had a childhood much like my own, but she never had friends like Naruto or siblings to help her. She'd even been taken by the Akatsuki and had her beast taken away from her, but she still kept moving all on her own.

"I'll understand if you want me out of your house and out of your village."

She said, bringing me out of my musings.

"No, that's not it at all."

I said and she looked up at me in a mix of shock and confusion.

"What, why? Everyone else hates what I am, aren't you afraid I'll kill you too?"

She asked and I smiled up at her sadly.

"No, I'm not."

I said answering both her questions, but she just continued to stare at me confused.

"You're life has been a lot like mine."

I said.

"When I was born my father put a demon inside me hoping to be able to use me as a weapon for this village. It made me bloodthirsty and I'd grown to hate everyone even my own siblings. I'd killed thousands of people and didn't even think twice about it because Shukaku enjoyed killing them and I'd grown to enjoy it as well. But I met a certain blonde haired idiot who made me see differently. And when I lost Shukaku recently I'd actually died, but a healer brought me back at the expense of her own life. Naruto and everyone else was really worried about me and that made me realize I wasn't as alone as I'd first thought. Sakura, Kankuro, Temari, Naruto, Lee, all of them had come to try and get me back from the Akatsuki. When I'd gotten back the village rejoiced. I'd have thought they would have been happy I was gone, but they saw the change in me that other people had a part in. No matter what your past is, there's always going to be people in the future that will make it better."

I said and she just looked at me shocked.

"You….you had a beast as well?"

She asked and I nodded. I watched her as she got up and walked around the island and stopped in front of me.

"What?"

I asked, a little uncomfortable under her intense gaze.

"I…I've never known anyone who's been through what I have. I've always been shunned for what I was, for what I've done."

She said and I was shocked when I saw tears in her eyes again. I wanted to reach out to her, but I was afraid she'd rebuke me. I used my sand instead. I used it to wipe away her tears. She squeaked in surprise and looked at me wide eyed.

"You can control sand?"

She asked and I just smiled at her.

"It's one of the perks I still have from when I housed Shukaku within me."

I said and moved my sand around me to show her what I meant. She didn't seem all that surprised, her chakra actually felt relieved which made me confused.

* * *

-Fayre-

I couldn't believe it. I wasn't alone. Gaara had had the same kind of life I'd had and he'd said his life got better. When he'd used his sand to wipe away my tears it had surprised me. I wasn't the only one with that ability either. I could see the confusion in his eyes and smiled at him before using my ability to control sand to move a part of his sand away from him and circle around my waist. I heard him gasp and my smile widened.

"You're not the only one who can control sand."

I said before sending his sand back at him. I saw it all gather together and watched as a gourd was made on his back that was strapped to his back.

_'That's convenient.'_

I thought. I'd usually only used the sand around me, though now that I thought about it that would be a whole lot easier.

"I'm telling you, I smell food."

I heard Kankuro's voice coming down the stairs and I froze. I sensed both his and Temari's chakra and looked back at Gaara.

"Night."

I said before heading for the stairs.

"Wait!"

He said and I stopped and looked back at him.

"What's your name?"

He asked and I smiled as I realized this entire time he hadn't known my name.

"Fayre."

I said before walking into the next room and jumping up the stairs as Temari and Kankuro reached the bottom. I walked into my room and laid down. I couldn't believe it, I wasn't alone. I smiled before closing my eyes and falling asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

-Fayre-

It had been two days since mine and Gaara's talk in the kitchen and now we talked every night. He'd go to his office, and me, Temari, and Kankuro would go about our day. I'd go with Temari when she took Gaara his dinner and smiled when he dumped it into the trash. Then once Kankuro and Temari fell asleep around ten, Gaara would come home and knock on my door. I'd cook us some food, then we'd talk. Each time we'd get interrupted by Temari and Kankuro and I'd disappear upstairs while Gaara used his hand to disappear.

"Hey Fayre, do you ever get up and cook in the middle of the night?"

Temari asked as she served us breakfast. It's not that I didn't love the girl, I did, but I swear she was trying to kill us. She just couldn't cook.

"No, why?"

I asked, feinting innocence. I stole a look at Gaara to see him smirking down at his plate of burned eggs and charred toast.

"It's just that Kankuro and I keep smelling these delicious scents after we got to bed and we get up to find out what it is, only to find the kitchen empty."

She said and I bit the inside of my lip to keep from giggling.

"Weird, but it can't be me. I can't cook to save my life."

I said and heard Gaara try to stifle a laugh, but wound up coughing instead.

"You okay bro?"

Kankuro asked and Gaara just nodded. I smiled before standing up and putting my plate in the sink.

"Later guys."

I said and everyone looked at me surprised.

"Where are you going?"

Temari asked. I usually never went anywhere without telling them or being with one of them, but I needed to do something I'd been putting off.

"Just out. I'll be back for dinner."

I said before walking out of the room, putting my shoes on, and heading out the door.

* * *

-Gaara-

"That's odd. She usually never goes anywhere."

Kankuro said and I shrugged.

"She's been cooped up in this house for a while now, can we really blame her for wanting to get out for a bit?"

Temari asked and silence met her question. I left shortly after Fayre and headed to my office. I had a lot of paperwork to deal with and the council was starting to bug me about falling behind. I'd like to see them run the city and keep up with all the paperwork I have to deal with.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Ok, so I collapsed right around here."

I said to myself as I looked down at the area outside of Suna that Temari had found me. I looked out over the vast expanse of desert and sighed. I'd always loved the desert, mainly the sand which was why I was so happy Raja had given me the ability to control sand. Even though he was gone I still had that part of him.

"I've found a new place to call home Raja, but it still feels lonely without you with me."

I said to the wind around me. I knew he was gone and couldn't hear me, but it made me feel better to act like I was talking to him.

I sighed again before noticing I'd been staring out at the horizon for a while. I turned and started to head back to the gates. I was stopped by the guards.

"Show us your papers."

The one on the right said and I looked at him confused.

"What? I live with the Sand Siblings."

I said and the guards both laughed.

"Right, and my sister's engaged to the Kazekage."

The one on the left said sarcastically and I growled.

"Show us your papers or get lost."

The one on the right said and I looked both of them over. The right one had short brown hair, plain brown eyes, and was a foot or two taller than me. The one on the left had blonde hair to his shoulders, blue eyes and was shorter than the one on the right but was still taller than me. I hated being short.

"Let me through."

I said through clenched teeth. I was really getting annoyed with these two.

"No. Now get lost before we have to get violent."

The blonde said and I just ignored him and tried to walk into the village, only to be grabbed round the waist and thrown to the ground.

"Try that again and you'll get hurt."

They both said and I growled before trying to run past them. The brown haired one hit me in the stomach making me stop, while the blonde grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I heard them laugh.

"You're weak, there's no way you can get past us."

The blonde said and I lifted my head and glared at them. I saw them flinch under my gaze, but tried to act like it hadn't effected them.

I slowly got to my feet and crouched down into my fighting stance. They both looked at me confused before the brown haired guard charged at me with a kunai. I side stepped his attack and grabbed the arm extended out with the kunai in hand. I spun and wrapped his own arm around him and bent his wrist backward making him drop the kunai. It landed at his feet and he looked down at it before looking back at me. I saw fear flash in his eyes and smirked. I pulled and heard his arm pop out of place. I brought my leg up and kicked him away from me. He landed and cradled his arm to his chest. I turned to the blonde when I heard him start to say something.

"I need backup at the gate. A rouge Shinobi is trying to force their way inside the city."

He said and I sighed as he charged at me much like the brown haired man had. I ducked and knocked his feet out form under him. He landed on his back and I grabbed the kunai the other guard had dropped and pressed it to the blonde's throat as I straddled his waist and pinned him down.

"Don't move!"

I heard someone yell and looked up to see we were surrounded by ten or twenty sand ANBU. I groaned as I looked back at the blonde who had passed out from his fear. I sighed before getting to my feet.

"I said don't move!"

The voice from before said and I looked around till I found who it came form. All ANBU were dressed in black with their faces covered, but I could just make out light brown hair peeking out from behind the mask.

"Look, I just want to get inside the city."

I said.

"We can't let you do that. If you didn't have papers then you can't enter the city."

He said, I could tell it was male form the voice.

"Let me through or you're all going to get hurt."

I said and heard laughter form all around.

"Do you have any idea who we are? We're the ANBU of Suna, the Kazekage himself trained us. You don't know who you're messing with."

The guy from before said and I glared at him as I saw more ANBU start to surround me.

"I believe it is you who doesn't know who they are messing with."

I said as I took my stance.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you."

I said before drawing my own kunai and charging at them.


	12. Chapter 12

-Gaara-

"Lord Gaara! We have a situation!"

One of the ANBU said as they ran into the room.

"What is it?"

I asked standing form my desk. It was rare that the ANBU ever had a problem they couldn't deal with on their own.

"A rouge Shinobi appeared outside the gate and is trying to get into the city. They have no papers and are wiping out all the ANBU we send after them like they are nothing."

The ANBU member before me said and I growled in annoyance. I used my sand and transported myself to the gate. What I saw shocked me. The rouge Shinobi the ANBU were talking about was Fayre. I knew she was a skilled Shinobi warrior, but I had never seen her fight before. I stared open mouthed as I watched Fayre dodge, block, and avoid the onslaught of ANBU warriors. Then she'd attack. I watched as she jumped over one ANBU only to land behind two others and kick them towards the first. She'd fight a few with just her hands while fighting those behind her with her sand. I watched in awe as she wiped out the entire ANBU squad without even breaking a sweat.

As she knocked the last one out I saw her straighten up and call her sand to her. It swirled behind her before forming a gourd, much like my own, on her back. It was smaller than mine and was strapped to her chest with a black sash. I regained my composure as she walked toward me.

"Damn, all I did was go for a walk and next thing I know I get attacked."

I heard her say as she walked over the unconscious bodies of the ANBU members and walk towards the gates. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

"Gaara! What the hell is the meaning of this!"

She asked and I looked at her confused.

"What do you mean?"

I asked and heard her growl, making a shiver run down my spine.

"I mean how your stupid guards wouldn't let me through just because I didn't have any papers. Then when I knocked them out the whole fucking ANBU squad shows up and treats me like a fucking rouge Shinobi! I don't know what the fuck was going through your head when you trained them, but I suggest you learn to control your people!"

She snapped at me before brushing past me and walking down the streets of Suna and disappearing in the crowd of people.

_'Why the hell is she pissed at me?'_

I wondered as I called the medical nin to take care of the ANBU outside the gates and headed home.

When I walked through the door I saw Kankuro sitting at the bottom of the stairs. When he saw me his eyes widened in fear, but it wasn't because of me, it was _for_ me.

"Gaara!"

He yelled as he ran to me.

"What's going on?"

I asked as he stood next to me.

"Fayre came home slamming the door behind her then going up to her room. Temari and I tried to find out what happened, but she wouldn't tell us. Temari's been upstairs outside Fayre's room trying to get her to come out. We heard her mumbling something as she went upstairs and it sounded like she wanted to kill you man. What the hell happened?"

He asked after he explained what had happened.

"She left the village for some reason and when she tried to get back in the guards wouldn't let her. She knocked them out, but then the ANBU showed up treating her like a rouge Shinobi."

I said and saw Kankuro's eyes widen in shock.

"Why would they think that!"

He asked and I sighed.

"Because I taught them to treat anyone without papers like a rouge."

I said and Kankuro sighed as he shook his head.

"No wonder she's pissed at you."

He said before walking off. I sighed again as I climbed the stairs and headed to Fayre's room. Temari saw me and stood up.

"She won't come out and she won't answer me. Whatever you did, fix it."

She said before leaving and heading downstairs.

_'Geeze, how was I supposed to know something like this would happen?'_

I thought as I knocked on Fayre's door.

"Fayre?"

I asked, but got no answer. I used my sand and unlocked her door. I walked inside to see her room empty, but the window was open.

_'No wonder she didn't answer.'_

I thought as I walked over to the window. I felt Fayre's chakra from the roof and used my sand to get to the roof.

I'd just let my sand fall away when a kunai flew past my head.

"Go away Gaara."

She said and I looked up to see Fayre sitting on the edge of the roof with one knee propped up and the other dangling off the side of the roof. She was looking out over the city, but her gaze was focused on the desert beyond the gates. Her back was to me, but I could feel the emotions coming off of her. Anger, sadness, and hurt.

"Fayre, I didn't mean-"

I started to say as I walked closer to her, but stopped when a kunai landed an inch away from my feet.

"Don't come any closer. If you want to talk, fine, but stay there."

She said and I sighed. At least she was willing to listen to me.

"You have to understand, I trained the ANBU to treat all those without papers like rouge shinobis, it was nothing against you personally."

I said and heard her growl.

"They should know who I am by now! I've been living in your house for the past two weeks!"

She said and I sighed.

"All you had to do was show them your papers."

I said.

"My paper? My papers!"

She snapped as she got up and came over to me.

"I shouldn't _have_ to Gaara, that's the point! I may not have lived here as long as anyone else, but I still think of Suna as my home! How would you feel if you were denied entry to your home just because you didn't have your papers!"

She yelled and my eyes widened as I realized what she was saying. I'd have felt angered and hurt.

"That's exactly how I felt Gaara!"

She continued.

"I lost my home. You know why. How do you think I felt when I was denied back into the city? And all because _you_ told the ANBU to treat those without papers like rouge Shinobi! Well fuck you Gaara!"

She yelled as she pushed me. I stumbled back and looked at her in shock.

_'I really fucked up.'_

I thought as I watched Fayre glare at me. It hurt having her mad at me. I was so used to her smiling at me and blushing every now and then for no reason at all. I had to fix this, I just had to.

"You've got to understand, when I trained them like that I _never_ expected something like that to have happened."

I said and heard her scoff at me.

"It doesn't change the fact that it happened!"

She said and I sighed.

"What do you want me to say Fayre?"

I snapped, finally losing it. I saw her eyes widen in shock a bit.

"You want me to say I'm sorry? That's all I _can _say. It's done and over with now. I understand that it hurt you and I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be taking it out on others!"

I yelled and her eyes widened again before narrowing at me.

"As true as that may be, you need to change the way you train your men!"

She yelled back.

"None of that would have happened had you just had your papers with you."

"None of that would have happened if your guys learned to recognize those in the village. Suna is my home Gaara, I shouldn't have to show paper work to get into my home."

She said, her voice going to just above a whisper and her bangs fell down to cover part of her face.

Silence followed and I frowned.

_'Shit, I meant to make things better not worse.'_

I thought as I looked down at Fayre. I saw something shimmer in the setting sun before falling to the roof and splattering. It took me a minute to realize Fayre was crying.

_'Aww man, now she's crying.'_

I thought.

"Fayre."

I said, but she didn't say anything or raise her head to look at me.

"Fayre, look at me."

I said, but when she didn't I reached out and tilted her chin up so she was looking at me. Tears were silently streaming down her face.

"I really am sorry. I'll be sure that the guards and ANBU know who you are so you'll never have to fight for your home again. But, considering the beating you gave them I don't think they'll be forgetting you anytime soon."

I said and she laughed making my heart feel lighter since she wasn't as mad anymore.

I moved my hand so that I was cupping her cheek.

"I really _am_ sorry Fayre. You know that right?"

I asked and she smiled as she nodded.

"Good."

I said as I wiped her tears away with my thumb. We stared into each other's eyes for a while longer and I couldn't help but lean in closer, I almost smiled when I noticed Fayre leaned in as well. I noticed her lips parted a bit and a light blush covered her cheeks as we continued to get closer. I searched her eyes for any sign she was going to push me away, but saw none. Our lips were inches apart when I felt Temari and Kankuro's chakra coming up to the roof. I heard the door to the roof open and quickly stepped away from Fayre.

"There you two are!"

Temari said and I glared at my siblings for interrupting us. I saw Fayre's blush darken from the corner of my eye and couldn't help but smirk.

"We were worried when Gaara didn't come downstairs and then when we went upstairs to check on you, Fayre's door was open as was the window, so we came up here to make sure everything was ok."

Kankuro said.

"Everything _is_ okay, right?"

He asked and I saw Fayre nod from beside me.

"Yeah, I've calmed down now. Sorry about earlier."

She said and Temari waved her off.

"Don't worry about it. Come on, dinner's ready."

She said before she and Kankuro headed back inside. Fayre followed, but stopped at the door. She turned back to look at me and blushed when her eyes met mine. I smiled when she turned around and all but ran inside.

_'Interesting.'_

I thought before walking inside, closing the door after me and heading for dinner.

_'I wonder just how this is going to play out.'_

I wondered to myself as I headed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13

-Fayre-

Dinner had been different. I was used to Kankuro flirting and joking around, as well as Temari talking about shopping and whatnot. What I wasn't used to was Gaara looking at me every now and then. I couldn't keep from blushing every time, because every time I looked him in the eye I was reminded of our almost kiss.

_'I almost kissed Gaara! Oh my God!'_

I screamed in my head as I fell back against my pillows. I hadn't even been aware I liked Gaara like that till the moment he tilted my chin up and made me look him in the eyes. When I saw how much it pained him to see me upset it made me realize I liked him, then the fact that we almost kissed made me realize how much I _really_ liked him. I sighed before rolling over onto my side.

_'I desperately need to talk to Temari.'_

I thought as I closed my eyes. Fighting like I had for the first time in so long had made me tired. I used my sand to pull the blanket up to my shoulders before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

-Temari-

"Morning Temari."

A voice said from the doorway and I turned to see Fayre in a light blue tee and tan colored cargo shorts.

"Morning Fayre."

I said as she took a seat at the island.

_'Gaara's at work and Kankuro's still asleep. If I want an answer I should ask her now.'_

I thought as I poured us both a cup of coffee.

"So, you like my brother huh?"

I asked as Fayre took a sip of hers and she nearly chocked on it.

"W-What! What in the world gave you that idea?"

She asked with a blush as she coughed to clear her airways. I smiled at her as I leaned my elbows on the countertop.

"It's written all over your face Fay."

I said and her blush darkened as she looked down into her coffee.

"Is it really that obvious?"

She asked and my smile widened.

'So I was right.'

I thought.

"Not really, I just know what to look for. So, have you told him yet?"

I asked and my smile fell when she shook her head.

"What, why not?"

I asked taking the seat opposite to her.

"Because, to be honest I just realized I liked him last night."

She said and I stared at her wide eyed.

'_Really? I've known she liked him ever since I brought him dinner that one night.'_

I thought, but kept it to myself.

"Why last night? Weren't you pissed at him?"

I asked confused and slightly curious.

"I was, but then he followed me up to the roof and apologized. He told me he was sorry and when I saw how much it pained him to see me upset I realized I liked him. Then we almost….."

She started, but trailed off catching my interest.

"Almost what?"

I asked, wondering what my littler brother had almost been about to do with my best friend.

"Well, before you and Kankuro showed up on the roof, Gaara and I were about to k-"

"Morning girls."

Kankuro said as he walked into the room, cutting out whatever Fayre had just said. I noticed her face darkened with a blush and smiled.

"What's for breakfast?"

Kankuro asked and Fayre excused herself and left, her face still beat red.

"Dammit Kankuro, I was trying to find something out!"

I snapped at him and he looked at me confused. I sighed before shaking my head at him.

_'I'll just have to ask her the next time I get her alone.'_

I thought as I finished my coffee and started making breakfast.

* * *

-Fayre-

_'Oh my God! Kankuro almost heard what me and Temari were talking about!'_

I screamed in my head as I walked down the streets of Suna.

_'Well, there's no denying it anymore. I like Gaara.'_

I thought with a sigh. I walked down the streets, not really paying attention to where I was going until I reached the gates.

"You? What do _you_ want?"

I looked up to see the guards from yesterday. I could smell the fear rolling off them, but they were trying to hide it well.

"Just walking around."

I said and they glared at me. I looked out over the desert and sighed. I loved Suna, but I was a little tired of staying within the city.

I heard something behind me and turned to see three ANBU. I recognized the one from before with the light brown hair.

"What do you guys want?"

I asked and noticed two of them flinched.

"Fayre, we would like to apologize for the way we treated you yesterday. You are clearly a skilled Shinobi warrior and we ANBU acknowledge that."

He said and I glared at them. I could tell they wanted something from me.

"What do you want?"

I asked again and the one in the middle sighed before taking off his ANBU mask. He had forest green eyes and a pretty cute face.

"My name is Jekiro, and I am the leader of the ANBU of the sand. I have never met anyone other than Lord Gaara himself with your kind of powers, we would be honored if you joined the ANBU."

He said and I thought about it.

"What would I have to do?"

I asked.

"The ANBU served to protect the Kazekage. If you were to join you would train with us and be sent on missions, but your main job would be to protect Lord Gaara at all costs."

Jekiro said and I thought about it.

"Sure, I'm game."

I said with a smile and Jekiro blinked in surprise at me.

"Y-You're serious?"

He asked and I nodded.

"Yep. I only have one request."

I said.

"Name it."

Jekiro said.

"No one else gets to tell me what to do other than Lord Gaara, unless it's for a mission."

I said in a serious tone.

"Done."

He said and I smiled as we shook on it.


	14. Chapter 14

-Fayre-

Two weeks have passed since Jekiro asked me to join the ANBU and I _still_ haven't been sent on a mission yet. All I've been told to do is protect Gaara. I've been in Suna a total of three weeks, and still haven't been outside it's walls since the day I took on the entire ANBU squad.

"Fayre, how would you like to come with me and my siblings to go see an old friend of mine?"

Gaara asked and I looked up at him.

"Who's the friend?"

I asked and noticed Gaara smirk at me.

"He's the one who showed me that life is about more than just killing. And he just became the Hokage of Konoha. Would you like to come?"

He asked and I shot across the room and stopped next to him as he stood up.

"Yes, very much!"

I said and heard him chuckle a bit.

"Then it's settled. We'll leave at sunrise tomorrow."

He said and I couldn't help myself. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head in his chest.

"You have no _idea_ how happy I am right now."

I said and blushed when I felt his arms snake around my waist. He used one hand to lift my chin so I was looking up at him. I looked into his teal colored eyes and felt my face heat up even more.

"I believe I understand a little."

He said before he leaned down. My heart pounded in my chest and my face heated even more, but I didn't pull away. Our lips were inches apart when there was a knock on the door to his office.

I heard Gaara growl as he let me go and sat back down in his chair before telling the intruder to come in. I turned and looked out the window as Gaara talked over the best way to keep pranksters out of Yotomori's weapons shop. Once he left I turned to look at Gaara.

"I'm gonna head home and get some rest for tomorrow. I'll see you bright and early at the gates."

I said before leaving. I stopped by the ANBU training ground and told Jekiro to take my place before using my sand to get home faster. I dressed down to my silk blue pj shorts and white tank top before crawling into bed. I couldn't wait for tomorrow.

* * *

-Temari-

"Alright, that's everything. Let's get going."

I said and everyone nodded, except for Gaara, before we headed out for Konoha. I was shocked when Fayre said she would be the only one coming with us to protect Gaara and us, but then I remembered the report given by Gaara of what he saw her do while fighting the ANBU and I had no doubt we were probably the safest people in all of the five Nations.

We made good time and were almost there by nightfall. Fayre told Kankuro and us to stay put while she disappeared multiple times into the woods. She came back with firewood, then game that she skinned and cooked in the fire. Once we were all fed and warm she was going to go look around for any danger when gaara grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down.

"You've done enough for today."

He said and I smiled when I saw Fayre glare at him.

"I was just going to-"

She started getting up, but stopped when Gaara used his sand to grab her round the waist and pull her back down. She landed between his legs with her back to his chest. Her face darkened with a blush and I smiled at my younger brother and the woman I'd already begun to think of as my sister. We all settled in for the night and slept peacefully with the fire keeping away stray animals.

* * *

-Gaara-

I woke to find Fayre wasn't in my arms. I looked around slightly panicked till I saw her crouched in a tree looking towards Konoha. I used my sand to appear on the branch next to her.

"So that's Konoha?"

She asked and I nodded.

"Yes. Come on, we should be able to get there before midday."

I said as I jumped to the next tree. I heard Fayre wake my brother and sister, then we were on our way. Kankuro tried to race Fayre, but lost. Even Temari tried to race her only to lose.

"Come on Gaara, race me."

She said as she jumped backwards from tree branch to tree branch.

"No."

I said and saw her pout.

"You're no fun. I would have made it worth your while had you beaten me."

She said, but as much as that piqued my interest I still said no.

"Oh forget about it Fayre. He doesn't need to see you naked anyway, though I've got to say it is a sight to behold."

Kankuro said and I stared at him in shock.

"Hey! Who the hell said _anything_ about him seeing me naked! And besides, that time you saw me naked was an accident."

She said and I glared at my brother.

"Oh shit."

Kankuro said as he noticed the change in my attitude. I was about to use my sand on him when Fayre suddenly hopped on my back and leaned in so she could whisper in my ear.

"Don't worry about it, I already got him back. I put itching powder in his underwear and he had a rash for about a week."

She said before she kissed my cheek and jumped ahead of us. I couldn't help but smirk at the fact that Fayre made Kankuro suffer, so I left him alone.

"Come on Gaara, race me!"

Fayre said, going back to that.

"No."

I said and heard her sigh.

"Why not?"

She asked and I smiled at her as we stopped at the edge of the woods. Fayre was facing us so she couldn't see the gates.

"Because, we're here."


	15. Chapter 15

-Fayre-

I couldn't believe the size of this place. It was _huge!_

"Welcome Lord Gaara. Lady Temari. Lord Kankuro."

The guards said and I tried not to feel upset that I had been ignored. They led us through the streets to a huge building in the middle of the city. We were led up stairs before we were ushered into a room. Once the doors were closed I looked around. It was nice, but pretty plain. There was a bookcase in the far corner, a window facing the east and south, some chairs, and a desk covered in paperwork. I saw a blonde mass of hair underneath some of it and wondered who it was.

"So, after you finally become Hokage the first thing you do is sleep on the job?"

Gaara asked as we walked over to the blonde mass of hair beneath all the papers. He did something and the blonde mass of hair suddenly shot up to reveal a blonde haired boy around my age with cerulean blue eyes and what looked like whiskers on his cheeks. He was definitely cute, almost as cute as Gaara.

"I wasn't…I mean I just…."

The blonde said and I heard Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara all laugh at him.

_'Okay, just who the hell **is** this guy?'_

I wondered. Temari must have noticed my confusion because she introduced us.

"Oh, sorry Fay. This is an old friend of Gaara's and the new Hokage of Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki."

She said as she pulled me towards him. I looked him in the eyes and blushed.

"Naruto, this is the newest and best warrior of the sand ANBU and our friend, Fayre."

She said and Naruto smiled at me as he held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Fayre."

He said as I shook his hand.

"Is it true you wiped out the entire ANBU squad by yourself?"

He asked excitedly and I just blushed.

"Awesome! Come on, let's go out and celebrate properly."

Naruto said before rushing us all out of his office and to the ramen shop down the street.

We ate till our stomachs were close to bursting, then Temari ordered sake. She and Kankuro got drunk, while me and Naruto were in the middle of a drinking contest. Gaara just watched, keeping track of how many we drank. I threw back my glass and slammed it down on the table while Naruto struggled to finish his.

"That's seventy eight to your forty three. I believe she has you beat."

Gaara said and I smiled when Naruto nodded in agreement.

"You…."

Naruto started, but stopped before trying again.

"How do you handle your sake so well?"

He asked and I smiled at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

I asked with a smile and he just stared at me.

"You can fight. You can drink. Hell, you can even eat. Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

Naruto asked and I blushed.

"Hey Gaara, you've got to let Fayre help me train my men. They need someone to whip them into shape, but they just won't listen to me."

He said and I waited to hear what Gaara would say.

"She can make her own decisions. It's fine with me if she wants to help."

He said and I smiled at him before standing up, pulling Kankuro and Temari with me.

"In that case, I'll see you bright and early in the morning Naruto."

I said as Gaara helped me carry his siblings back to our hotel.

* * *

**The next day on the ANBU training field**

* * *

-Fayre-

"Okay, so what exactly do you want me to do?"

I asked Naruto as I walked up to him.

"Simple. Just train my men like you do Gaara's."

He said and I nodded as the ANBU entered the training field.

"Alright."

Naruto said, getting everyone's attention.

"This is Fayre, and she's gonna help me train you guys."

He said and I heard several scoffs from the men before me. There weren't any women in the group of people before me.

"A woman? Is this a joke Lord Naruto?"

One of them asked and I glared at him. Naruto was about to say something, but I held out my hand and stopped him.

"If you think I have no right to be here then fight me. If you win, I leave and Lord Naruto will be the only one to train you."

I said and heard laughter from the men again.

"But if I win, you will treat me with respect and we start your training."

I said and he walked forward and shook my hand in agreement. He squeezed my hand, trying to hurt me.

"This will be a piece of cake."

He said and I smiled sweetly at him.

"If you say so."

I said before squeezing his hand back, stopping only when I felt the bones in his hand about to pop out of place.

* * *

-Naruto-

I hadn't expected my men to be so rude, and to be honest it pissed me off. I liked Fayre, she was nice and seemed to have an open mind towards those like me and Gaara. She was cute too. I was going to reprimand them, but Fayre stopped me. I smiled when she made a deal with the head ANBU. I saw him try to hurt her hand, but had no effect. Then she tightened her grip on his hand and I saw Daichi trying to keep from showing his pain on his face. Fayre let go of Daichi's hand and beckoned him to attack her which made Daichi angry. I watched as he charged at Fayre and she just stayed still. Daichi pulled a kunai and I tensed when he charged at her. Gaara said she could fight, but she didn't look like she could. I was shocked when she grabbed his arm, side stepped the kunai, and pulled his arm behind his back all in one fluid movement. She pulled the kunai out of his hand and held it to his throat. A collective gasp went through the ANBU watching and I could help but smile.

"Don't let your emotions get in the way. That's the best way to lose to your opponent."

I heard her say to Daichi as she let him go and held his kunai out to him. Daichi took it from her and sheathed it.

"Thank you Lady Fayre."

He said and I was shocked when he got down on his knees, head bowed. That was the ultimate sign of respect and usually the ANBU only did that to the Kazekage or Hokage.

"No problem. Now, who says we get to training?"

She asked with a smile and Daichi nodded before standing up. The other ANBU all listened to her as she explained how she dodged Daichi's attacked, grabbed his arm, side stepped, and brought his arm behind him. Then she had them break off into groups of two to try on their own before she came over to me. This girl was amazing.

"That was remarkable. I had no idea you were so skilled."

I said and she blushed at my compliment.

"Thanks Naruto, but you haven't seen me serious yet."

She said and I smiled as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

"I'd like to."

I said and her blush darkened.

* * *

-Gaara-

Temari had left to go find Shikamaru and Kankuro started asking me about how far I'd gotten with Fayre. I told him this morning that I liked her and now he wouldn't leave me alone about it. I left when he went to the bathroom. I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed Fayre's company till now. She was with Naruto helping him train his men, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I just stopped by to watch.

I followed their chakras till I got to the ANBU training field. I stopped when I saw Naruto with his arm around Fayre's shoulder and a blush on her face.

"What the hell kind of training is this!"

I yelled and they both looked up at me with wide eyes.

"No, Gaara man, it ain't what it looks like."

Naruto said, but I ignored him and looked at Fayre. Her face was beat red and she refused to look me in the eye.

"Fine."

I said before using my sand and appearing back at the hotel. Kankuro looked at me confused until he noticed the mood I was in.

"Gaara, what's-"

"We're leaving."

I said and he nodded before going and grabbing our stuff. Temari walked in with a smile on her face till she saw Kankuro running around the room and picked up on the atmosphere.

"What's going on?"

She asked.

"We're leaving."

I said and she frowned.

"But we just got here."

She said and I glared at her.

"Now!"

I said and she paled before helping Kankuro pack our things. We headed for the gates and Fayre and Naruto came running towards us.

"Look Gaara, it really wasn't what it looked like honest."

He said and I just glared at him. Fayre noticed Temari and Kankuro had our things packed.

"We're leaving?"

She asked and I just turned and walked out of Konoha. I heard them following silently behind me. I heard Temari ask Fayre what happened, but tuned them out as I ran through the forest.

* * *

-Fayre-

I can't believe this. I was just being friends with Naruto and Gaara suddenly started yelling at us and made us leave. I caught up to him and fell in step with him.

"Gaara, what's wrong?"

I asked and he ignored me.

"Dammit Gaara, don't ignore me!"

I snapped and he suddenly threw me against a tree. Temari and Kankuro gasped in shock, but didn't interfere.

"Now you want my attention. Did you get your fill of Naruto or do you want to go back?"

He asked and I looked at him confused.

"What are you talking about?"

I asked.

"Did you really like how he touched you? How he was so casual with you? You obviously like him better, so go back and protect him!"

He snapped and moved away from me.

"I don't like him like that!"

I yelled at him as I finally understood why he was so upset. He thought there was something going on between me and Naruto.

"You could have fooled me!"

He yelled back. I ran to catch up with him and pulled him so he'd face me.

"I don't."

I said and he just pushed past me. I felt tears stinging my eyes.

"What do I have to do to prove it!"

I yelled after him, but he just ignored me. I was about to say something else when I noticed a change in the forest. It was suddenly too quiet. I fanned my chakra out and my eyes widened in shock. I raced after Gaara and pushed him to the ground just as a kunai landed where he had been standing. I stood up and looked around, but I didn't see anything. I heard a rustling in the leaves and turned just in time to see the glint off another kunai. I grabbed Gaara by the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him up with me as I ran over to Temari and Kankuro. I pushed him into their arms as I pulled my kunai.

"Keep him safe and get out of here."

I said and they just looked at me.

"Go!"

I yelled and they nodded as they moved out of the clearing. I looked around and heard something behind him and turned just in time to block an attack from a fair skinned, brown haired ninja. I jumped away from her and looked her over. She had hip length brown hair tied into two pony tails. She wore a Jonin vest with a fishnet shirt underneath stopping at her abdomen. She had on a pair of black shorts under a long skirt with slits up to her thighs. She wore knee high black ninja shoes and wore a headband over her eyes. I noticed the emblem on the headband and stared at the girl confused. If she was a sand ninja then why was she attacking Gaara?

"Who are you and why are you attacking the Kazekage?"

I asked, but she charged at me in response. The force from her charge had me tumbling back and through the forest in the direction that Kankuro and Temari had taken Gaara. I stabbed her in the shoulder and we stopped rolling. I heard a gasp and looked up to see we'd managed to fall into another clearing and I saw Temari and Kankuro in a tree with Gaara between them.

"Don't look away from your enemy!"

The girl beneath me yelled and I looked back down just in time for her to ram her kunai into my stomach. I grunted in pain and rolled off her. I pulled another kunai and waited for her to get to her feet.

* * *

-Kankuro-

We'd ran like Fayre told us, but we couldn't just leave Fayre so we stopped in a clearing a few feet away and waited. We jumped up into a nearby tree when we heard sounds coming our way. Temari and I gasped when we saw Fayre tumble into the clearing fighting with another ninja. The brown haired girl wore a Jonin vest and what looked like a sand headband. She was extremely hot.

_'No, bad Kankuro. I can't think that, she's an enemy.'_

I thought as I shook my head and watched the two below continue their fight.

"Why do you protect him? He's a murderous monster!"

The brown haired ninja said and I had no doubt of who she was talking about. Fayre charged at the girl and pinned her to the ground, knocking her headband off in the process.

"No he's not!"

She yelled and I was shocked at the amount of emotion in her voice as she defended my brother. The ninja beneath Fayre glared up at her and stabbed her with her kunai again. I heard Fayre hiss in pain, but she punched the girl beneath her and took the kunai from her. They rolled around on the ground before the brown haired ninja kicked Fayre away from her.

"Why? Why do you protect him?"

She asked and we all held our breath waiting for her response.

"Why do you want to kill him?"

She asked and I groaned in annoyance. I was hoping for something else, but what did I expect in the middle of a fight? Her to say she loves him?

"He killed my parents!"

The brown haired ninja said as she charged at Fayre again. She blocked and knocked the girl's feet out from under her and pinned her to the ground. The brown haired ninja punched Fayre in the stomach and she grunted as she fell to the ground. The brown haired girl moved and pinned her down.

"He's not the person he used to be, he's changed!"

Fayre yelled up at the girl and I saw her eyes narrow. I felt Gaara tense beside me when she pressed a kunai to Fayre's throat.

"You're blinded and you'll die protecting that murderer!"

The girl said.

Gaara moved to interfere, but Temari stopped him. We looked at her and she pointed down at the two below. We turned back to see Fayre grab the girl's arms and flip her overhead. She scrambled to her feet, picked up her fallen kunai and charge at the girl. They tumbled out of view and silence fell in the clearing.

"I don't know about you bro…."

I said to Gaara as I stared at the place where Fayre and that girl had disappeared.

"But I think Fayre likes you more than Naruto. Did you hear the amount of emotion in her voice when she defended you?"

I asked and he looked at me before looking back at the ground.

* * *

-Fayre-

The girl had gotten away from me and was running towards the river. I chased her down and threw my kunai, pinning her to a tree. I heard her grunt as she struggled to get free. I pulled one kunai from the tree and pressed it to her throat making her still in her efforts to escape.

"Why do you think Gaara killed your parents?"

I asked and she narrowed her light purple eyes at me.

"The one who sent me told me."

She said and I sighed.

"Who sent you?"

I asked and when she didn't answer I pressed the kunai against her throat making her bleed.

"Meratee."

She said and my eyes widened at the name of the Sound ninja that was known throughout all of Suna as a mercenary. He hates all tailed beasts and wants them dead.

"He told you that Gaara killed your parents? Gaara hasn't killed anyone without cause in years. He's a changed person. Does he have any proof that Gaara was the one who killed them? How do you know Meratee didn't kill them and said Gaara did it to piss you off so you'd kill him for him?"

I asked and she narrowed her eyes at me. She kicked me away from her and tried to attack me again. I sighed as I dodged her. I was really getting tired of this.

I grabbed her arm and slung her down to the ground and pinned her arms behind her and held them down with my knee while I pressed my kunai to her throat.

"Go ahead and kill me!"

She yelled up at me and for a brief moment I thought about doing just that, but she'd been lied to by Meratee. I let her up and got to my feet.

"Why are you letting me go?"

She asked as I resheathed my weapon.

"Because, you were lied to by Meratee. He hates all tailed beasts and would stop at nothing to have them eliminated."

I said.

"That has nothing to do with anything. Gaara killed my parents two years ago with the use of Shukaku."

She said and that only confirmed my suspicions that Meratee had lied to her.

"That's seems kinda hard considering he hasn't had Shukaku inside him for the past five years."

I said and her eyes widened in shock as she realized what I had. She fell to her knees and I walked over to her.

"Not again."

She said and now that I was this close up I noticed the kanji for truth under her left eye.

"Gaara didn't kill your parents, Meratee did. I know the pain of losing those close to you, if you'll accept my help then I promise to help you kill Meratee for what he's done."

I said and she looked up at me as if trying to see if I was lying. Something apparently made her see I wasn't and she nodded.

"Thank you."

She said as she got to her feet.

"No problem, just promise me you won't try to kill my Kazekage anymore."

I said and she smiled at me.

"You've got yourself a deal."

She said and I sighed as I looked up at the sky. The sun had set and it was getting dark.

"Where did Meratee send you from?"

I asked.

"Believe it or not, Konoha."

She said and I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Alright. Let's set up camp here and come up with a plan."

I said and she nodded. I'm not sure when, but at some point in time we got off the topic of killing Meratee and got to telling each other about ourselves. By the time we fell asleep we'd become friends.


	16. Chapter 16

-Fayre-

I watched the streets carefully before motioning for Kiyomi to follow me. She told me where Meratee was hiding and we were right below his bedroom window.

"He's in there."

Kiyomi mouthed to me and I nodded. She stood up to climb into the window, but I grabbed her vest and pulled her back down. She looked at me confused until the muffled voices I'd heard became louder until she could hear them too.

"So that Kasumi girl believed you?"

A voice asked and we heard laughter.

"Of course she did. All I had to tell her was the background of a murderous killer and place the blame on him. It's a good riddance if you ask me, I killed her parents years ago but she wasn't there so she got to live. She was so pathetic when I found her that I took pity on her and taught her how to fight. Once she got annoying I sent her to get her 'vengeance' for her parents' deaths and sent her to kill Gaara."

I heard the dark, sinister voice of Meratee say and growled as my anger grew. I felt Kiyomi tense beside me and knew now that she knew the truth that she wanted her revenge even more now.

We heard the voices get muffled before the door to our left opened. We flattened ourselves against the wall and waited. A man walked by and I used my sand to kill him and move his body into an alley so no one could see it, then Kiyomi and I slipped through the door and snuck into Meratee's bedroom. He was in the bathroom and I looked at Kiyomi.

"Hide, I'll hold him and you can get your revenge."

I mouthed to her and she nodded before hiding behind a bookcase. I looked around, but couldn't find a good place to hide. I heard the bathroom door start to open and jumped up to the ceiling. I wrapped my arms around the wooden beams holding up the ceiling and hoisted myself up on them. I moved so my legs were hanging down so I could easily jump off when needed, but made sure they couldn't easily be seen from below. I watched Meratee walk over to his bed and saw Kiyomi looking at me. I nodded to her and she stepped out of her place with kunai drawn.

"Meratee!"

She yelled and he turned around with wide eyes.

"Kasumi, how nice to see you've returned alive. Things went well?"

He asked taking a step towards her.

"Cut the crap Meratee, I know the truth."

She said and he looked at her confused.

"Whatever do you mean?"

He asked innocently.

"I mean I know _you_ were the one who killed my parents."

She said and Meratee's face suddenly got serious.

"I see. In that case it seems like it's time I finished what I started."

He said as he reached into his robe and pulled out a kunai. He threw it at Kiyomi and she blocked it, but it was a distraction and she didn't see Meratee charging at her till he was right in front of her. I used my sand and froze him in place.

"What's this? Some kind of trick?"

He asked struggling against my hold.

"No, it's called revenge."

I said as I hopped down and landed next to Kiyomi. He stared at me in shock and I nodded to Kiyomi and watched as she sliced Meratee's throat.

I lowered him to the ground with my sand and watched as he slowly bled out onto the floor. When he stopped moving I pulled Kiyomi with me out of the house and into the woods. We didn't stop running until the moon was high in the sky. We made camp and sat around the fire.

"I have waited to avenge my parents for years."

She said, breaking the silence.

"I'm just glad you got your peace of mind. I lost control of my beast and killed my family and entire village."

I said with a sigh.

"Yes, but you've got a new family now. With the Kazekage and his siblings right?"

She asked and I sighed again.

"I'm not sure. Gaara saw me hanging out with the Hokage from Konoha and thought there was something between us. We were fighting when you showed up."

"He saw you defend him, he must know you love him."

She said and I just watched the flames rise into the sky and disappear.

"I'm not so sure Kiyomi. I'm not so sure."

I said and heard her sigh.

"Come on, let's get some rest before we reach Suna."

She said and I nodded and laid down. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I sat back up and stared into the flames licking at the wood, trying to keep from being blown out.

_'I really hope he knows how much I love him.'_

I thought and my eyes widened as I realized I loved Gaara. I didn't like him, I loved him. But that realization only made the pain of our fight that much worse. I felt tears stinging my eyes as I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them as the tears fell down my face. Why couldn't he just see how much I loved him? Why?

* * *

-Temari-

"Temari, what do we do? It's been a full day since she disappeared and Gaara refuses to come out of his room."

Kankuro said and I sighed. After Fayre had disappeared again we ran to the safety of the city. When night fell, Gaara had sent out a search party, but no one could find her. He locked himself in his room after that and hasn't come out since. Now the moon was already high in the sky again, signaling the end of yet another day and Fayre still hadn't returned or been found.

"I'm not sure."

I said honestly and heard him sigh.

_'Come home soon Fayre. Come home soon.'_


	17. Chapter 17

-Gaara-

I sighed as I rolled away from my window. The moon was shining through the window and I felt the pain in my chest grow. Fayre's been missing since she disappeared through the brush in the forest outside of Konoha while fighting that brown haired ninja. My door opened and I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Kankuro enter my room.

"How you holding up?"

He asked me as he walked over to the bed.

"I feel horrible. I feel like my heart is being squeezed while it's still inside my chest. I think I love her Kankuro."

I said and felt him lay his hand on my shoulder.

"I was angry with her and practically told her to get lost and she _still_ protected me. She still risked her life for me and now she's gone and it feels like there's a hole in my chest."

I said and heard Kankuro sigh.

"I don't know what to tell you bro."

He said and I rolled away from him and looked out the window. I heard him leave and couldn't stand to stay in my room any longer. I used my sand and appeared on the roof. I sat down at the edge of the roof and looked out over the desert.

_'Why did I have to fight with her? It hurts with her gone.'_

I thought and felt my chest constrict in pain and I was helpless to do anything to stop it. There was only one thing, one _person_ that could make the pain go away and she was gone.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Are you sure Kiyomi?"

I asked as we walked through the backstreets of Suna.

"Yes Fayre, I'm sure. I can go back to my old apartment for a little while. Go back home, I'll meet you here tomorrow at noon."

She said and I smiled at her before giving her a hug and using my sand to appear on the doorstep of my house. I quietly walked inside and headed up to my room and cleaned myself up. If I was going to tell Temari and them that I was okay, I'd prefer to do so not covered in blood and dirt.

I was just pulling on a clean pair of pants when my door opened. I froze, in a pair of pants and just my bra as Temari walked into my room. She froze when she saw me and opened her mouth about to scream, but I used my sand to cover her mouth.

"Don't scream, I'm fine."

I said and she nodded before I called my sand back to me. She ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I winced as she squeezed my sides, but let it go.

"It's been hell while you were gone."

She said as she stepped back.

"I'm sorry."

I said and froze when the door opened again, this time it was Kankuro. His eyes widened when he saw me and he started to yell my name. I covered with my sand, like I had with Temari's.

"Don't scream, please."

I said and once he nodded I let him go. He ran to me and crushed me in a hug as well before realizing I was only wearing pants and my bra. He'd seen me in less, but he still blushed and stepped back.

"What happened?"

He asked.

"I fought the girl and learned why she wanted to kill Gaara. She had been misled by Meratee to believe Gaara had been the one to kill her parents when in reality it had been him. I spared her life and promised her to help her get her revenge. We just got back into the city and I wanted to clean up."

I said as I pulled on a clean shirt.

"So, she's not our enemy?"

Kankuro asked and I shook my head.

"She's a friend."

I said and they both nodded.

"How's…How's Gaara?"

I asked, somewhat dreading that he was still mad at me.

"He's been in his room since we got back."

Kankuro said and I frowned.

"Alright. Let me handle this."

I said before walking out of my room and heading down the hall to his room. It was really nice, but at the moment I didn't care. I could feel Gaara's chakra from the roof and used my sand to appear on the roof. I saw him sitting on the edge of the roof with one knee propped up and the other hanging over the edge. He was looking out towards the desert and I couldn't help how my heart leapt in my chest as I looked at him. I walked over to him and stopped right behind him.

"Go away."

He said without looking away from the desert.

"I just got back, but if you still hate me that much then I'll leave."

I said and his head whipped around and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"F-Fayre?"

He asked as he got to his feet. I stepped back and he moved away from the edge of the roof.

He stared at me in shock and I felt my face heat up from the intensity behind his eyes.

"Hey."

I said and flinched when he lifted his hand to my face. I froze when he suddenly pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me.

"You're okay."

He breathed in my ear and I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine.

"You're not mad at me anymore?"

I asked and he shook his head as he pulled away to look me in the eyes again.

"I'm sorry Fayre. I jumped to conclusions and lost it."

He said and I stared at him. I hadn't expected him to apologize, but it warmed my heart to know he was sorry and knew the truth now.

"When you pushed me down out of the way of that girl's kunai I thought you'd attacked me. Then when I realized we were under attack I wanted to scream at you for having Temari and Kankuro make me leave."

He said and I listened to him. Listened to every word.

"When you tumbled into the clearing we were hiding in I almost interfered when she said she'd kill you, but Temari held me back. Once you disappeared we ran back here. When night fell and you still weren't back we went out looking for you, but no one could find you. All day I felt like I was dying not having you by my side, and once the sun set and you still weren't back I thought I'd lost you forever. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out and put it on display so I could watch it as it broke. I haven't felt that much pain since the time the Akatsuki extracted Shukaku from me."

He said as he cupped the side of my face and wiped away the tears falling down my face with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry Fayre. Please, don't ever leave me again. Please."

He said as he pressed his forehead against mine and shut his eyes. It wasn't until then that I saw he had tears in them.

I reached up and wiped away his unshed tears. He had felt the same pain I had while we were apart.

"I don't plan on leaving any time soon."

I said and he opened his eyes to stare into mine. I felt his arm slide down to my waist and pull me closer to him.

"Fayre, I should have told you this a long time ago but-"

He said as he leaned in close. I leaned up and closed the gap between us, pressing my lips against his cutting him off.

"I love you too."

I said as I pulled away to catch my breath. He smiled down at me before kissing _me_ this time. I smiled against his lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, deepening the kiss. I felt his sharper than normal canines nip at my bottom lip, silently asking for entrance and I obliged. I felt him slide his tongue inside my mouth as he tightened his hold around my waist making me moan into his mouth. He growled in response, making a shiver run down my spine.

We pulled apart, our breathing uneven.

"Now you're definitely never leaving again."

He said and I couldn't help but smile at him.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Fair warning ahead of time! This chapter and the one after it contain mature content that younger readers should not read. I have warned you, therefore I can not be held responsible. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy. R&R

* * *

-Fayre-

I couldn't help but smile again as Gaara captured my lips in another kiss. I felt the familiar chakra of Kankuro, but ignored him.

"I'm happy you two made up and all, but get a room."

He said and I laughed a bit when gaara growled in annoyance at his brother interrupting us. He wrapped his sand around us and we appeared in his room. I felt a little nervous standing in his room alone with him, but forgot about that when his lips crashed down on mine again. He trailed kisses from my mouth down to my jaw and I shivered when he ran his fangs across my skin. I gasped when he lightly nipped my skin and my fist tightened in his hair making him growl.

_'Do I really want to do this?'_

I wondered as Gaara picked me up as his mouth found mine again. On instinct I wrapped my legs around his waist and he held me up as his mouth devoured mine. I felt his arousal pressed against my core and moaned into his mouth. I felt him smirk against my lips before he moved and I was suddenly laying on his bed with him hovering over me. I loosened my hold on him and instantly missed the feeling of him pressed against me.

I started tugging at his shirt and he smirked down at me as he sat up and pulled it up over his head and threw it across the room. I marveled at his pale skin that seemed to be perfectly sculpted. I'd never seen Gaara shirtless and now that I had I never wanted to see his chest covered ever again. I grabbed him and rolled us over so I was straddling his waist. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it up over my head and tossed it across the room. I saw Gaara's eyes roam over me and suddenly felt nervous again and looked away from him. He grabbed my chin and made me look at him.

"Don't ever feel embarrassed by your body, you're gorgeous."

He said and I blushed at his compliment. He leaned up and kissed me as he pulled me back down with him. His arms wrapped around my waist and he rolled us over so he was ontop. He kissed his way down my body and I shivered when his lips reached my navel. When he paused I looked down at him. I saw him looking at the patch on the lower right side of my abdomen.

"I'm fine Gaara."

I said but he continued to stare at my side. I reached down and grabbed his chin and made him look at me.

"I willingly chose to protect you at all costs and I did. It doesn't hurt."

I said and his eyes closed to hide his emotions from me. I leaned down and kissed him quickly, making him open his eyes.

"I am fine Gaara, really."

I said with a smile and after a while he smiled back and laid a gentle kiss over the bandage as if he was trying to kiss my wound away. I smiled at him before he started kissing my body again. He stopped at the waistband of my pants. He pulled them down over my hips and I kicked them off, leaving myself in just my panties and bra. Gaara moved to go lower and I blushed more than I have in my entire life as I realized what he was planning to do.

He used his hands and pulled my panties down and threw them off the bed. He spread my legs and looked up at me from between them before I felt his tongue lick the inside of my walls. I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips and looked down to see Gaara smirking up at me before I felt his tongue slide inside me again. He flicked his tongue over my clitoris and suckled on my bundle of nerves, but when I felt his teeth graze my bundle of nerves my back arched and I moaned loudly from the mix of pain and pleasure.

* * *

-Gaara-

I couldn't help but smirk when Fayre moaned loudly and arched her back when my teeth grazed her bundle of nerves. Her hands found their way into my hair and I felt her fists tighten more and more as I continued to tease her. I loved the sounds she was making and knowing I was the one causing her to make those sounds made me harden almost painfully in my pants.

"Gaara…..I'm gonna….."

Fayre said breathlessly, but her sentence was cut short by another moan as I flicked my tongue over her clitoris again and she threw her head back against the pillows as she came. My smirk widened as I lapped up her juices. She tasted sweet, like honeysuckles. I leaned up and kissed her, making her taste just how sweet she was. I noticed she was writhing beneath me and realized what she wanted.

I pulled away from her only long enough to strip out of my pants before I climbed back up the bed and hovered over her. I pushed her knees apart with one of mine and she moaned. I used my sand and unhooked her bra and threw it off the bed, leaving her completely exposed to me. I stared into her eyes and saw her eyes mirrored my own. They showed the hunger, the want, no, the _need_ to have the other's body.

"Fayre, are you sure about this?"

I asked, wanting to make sure I wasn't pushing her into doing something she didn't want to do.

"Gaara I love you, I don't want to be with anyone else."

She said and I couldn't help but smile down at her before kissing her again and pushing into her.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Warning is still in place. Mature content, don't read if you don't like. If you do, then enjoy and please review.

* * *

-Fayre-

I squeezed my eyes shut and clawed at Gaara's back as he pushed into me, breaking past the thing that made me pure and made me his. He didn't move, letting me adjust and I slowly opened my eyes and stared into his concerned teal ones. I leaned up and kissed him, letting him know I was fine. He pulled out slowly and I bit my bottom lip, drawing blood at the pain still coursing through my body. He pushed back into me and I moaned as pleasure slowly started to replace the pain. I gripped Gaara's shoulders and growled low as he sped up. He leaned down and licked away the drop of blood that had beaded up on my lip as he pulled out again. He kissed me, muffling my moan as he thrust back into me. I moved my hands into his hair and pulled his head down to my chest as he continued to thrust into me, each thrust faster and harder than the last. My back arched when I felt his hot mouth cover one of my nipples, and I gasped when I felt his teeth graze over it. I felt his arms move under me and up to my shoulders as his thrusts increased. He released my nipple to trail kisses from my mouth to my neck.

As much as I was enjoying this, I didn't want Gaara to have all the fun. I grabbed his shoulders and flipped us over with me straddling his waist. He stared up at me in surprise and I smirked down at him as I rocked my hips forward. I couldn't help the shiver that ran up my spine when he growled in response. His hands slid down my sides, carefully gliding over my injured side to rest on my hips. He met my thrusts with ones of his own and I had to hold onto the headboard to steady myself. Gaara thrusted up into me and I threw my head back and moaned when he hit my g-spot. I saw him smile up at me and was going to say something when he suddenly flipped us over so he was ontop again and thrust into me, hitting my g-spot again.

"Gaara!"

I yelled as he repeatedly hit my sweet spot with each thrust.

"Gaara…..I'm gonna…."

I said breathlessly and moaned when he hit my spot again. My hands fisted in his hair as I felt myself getting closer to the edge with each of his thrusts. He pushed into me again and I screamed his name as I came.

* * *

-Gaara-

Her hands fisted in my hair as her walls tightened around me and she came. The feeling of her walls clamped down on me and the sound of her screaming my name had me cumming inside her. I collapsed on the bed beside her and pulled out of her. We laid in the afterglow as our breathing returned to normal. I pulled her to me and heard her sigh contently as she rested her head on my chest. She laced her fingers with mine and I used my sand to cover us with the comforter on my bed. I heard Fayre's heart beat slow and her breathing become shallow and knew she'd fallen asleep. I smiled as I laid my head against hers and closed my eyes. For the first time since I had lost Shukaku I let myself fall asleep, with the woman I love wrapped in my arms.


	20. Chapter 20

-Temari-

Kankuro had disappeared, saying he was going to check on Gaara and Fayre. When he came back he had a smile on his face.

"Well?"

I asked and he smiled as he pulled me out of the kitchen and towards the door.

"Kankuro, where are we going?"

I asked as he pushed me out into the street and shut the door after us. He didn't stop pushing till we got to the Kazekage building.

"Dammit Kankuro, tell me what the fuck is going on!"

I snapped at my brother.

"Look, you won't want to be home tonight. Gaara and Fayre made up and from the way they were kissing I suspect it won't be safe to go home for a while."

Kankuro said with a smile and I felt my face heat up. How Kankuro could talk about our younger brother like that I didn't know, but the look on his face told me he wasn't lying.

"Fine. In that case I'm going to bed."

I said as I headed to my room, grateful we each had bedrooms here as well as at the house.

* * *

**THE NEXT MORNING**

* * *

-Kankuro-

"I don't know Kankuro. Do you really think it's safe to go back in there?"

Temari asked as we got to the door of our house.

"Yes, I'm sure they're both still asleep."

I said as I walked past her into the house. It was dead silent and the longer I stood in the silence the longer my curiosity grew. I had to know if I had been right. I just had to.

I started to head up the stairs, but Temari grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing!"

She asked and I smirked at my older sister.

"Seeing if I was right. You know you want to know if they did it or not too."

I said and Temari's face reddened, but she followed me up the stairs to Gaara's room. I slowly opened the door just enough so we could peek inside. The light from the sun was shining through the window and showed two bodies lying in Gaara's bed asleep. One with red hair that belonged to our brother, and one with black waist length hair that belonged to Fayre.

"Score! I was right."

I whispered in triumph and Temari smacked me to make me be quiet.

"Shh! The _last_ thing we need is for one of them to wake up."

She said and I waved her off.

"Please. I doubt either one of them will be waking up any time soon."

I said until I heard the sound of grains shifting across the floor. I looked back into the room to see Fayre sitting up with the blanket pressed to her chest glaring at Temari and me. We were suddenly pushed out of the room by the sand and the door slammed in our faces.

"You were saying?"

Temari asked and I looked at her with a shocked face before following her down the hall and heading to the kitchen.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Nosy ass people. It's too early in the morning to be dealing with them."

I said as I turned away from the door and snuggled back up to Gaara. His arms wrapped around me and he opened his eyes to look down at me.

"What was that about?"

He asked sleepily and I smiled at him as I moved and laid my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

"Just Temari and Kankuro being nosy."

I said as I trailed a finger down his abdomen to his happy trail. I felt him shiver beneath my touch and smiled to myself.

"Keep that up and we'll never leave this bedroom."

He said huskily and I turned to face him with a smirk on my face.

"Ever think maybe that was my plan all along?"

I asked and heard him growl softly and I smiled at him before moving my hand up to his chest and leaving it there.

"I love you Gaara."

I said and smiled as he laced our hands together.

"And I love you Fayre."

He said and I tilted my head back so I could kiss him.

"Think we should get up?"

I asked as we pulled apart.

"As much as I'd love to just lay here with you, we do have things that need to be done. I am the Kazekage."

He said and I sighed before rolling and sitting up with my legs hanging over the edge of his bed.

"Think I can borrow some clothes? I want to take a shower."

I said and laughed when I felt his arms wrap around me from behind.

"Go ahead, they'll be on the bed when you get out. I've got to get back to my office before the council has a fit."

He said and I smiled before giving him a quick kiss and running to the bathroom.

I took a quick shower and walked back into Gaara's room with a black towel wrapped around my waist. I pulled on my bra and panties from last night before pulling on the black pair of pants and red shirt Gaara had laid out for me. I looked around the room and smiled. It was pretty big. It had a bookcase that covered an entire wall and went from floor to ceiling. The walls were a dark red and the floor was covered in tan colored carpet that almost looked like sand. The ceiling was black, but added a nice touch to the room. There was a couch next to the bookcase and a rather large window with a balcony. Then there was the king sized four poster bed that sat in the middle of the room. It was covered in a mix of black, red, and gold. I smiled to myself before heading out of Gaara's room and down the stairs to the kitchen for a little breakfast. Temari and Kankuro blushed when they saw me and I ignored them as I quickly made an omelet and some toast. As I sat down at the island Temari came over to me.

"I thought you said you couldn't cook to save your life?"

She asked and I simply smiled at her as I took a bite out of my toast.

"So I lied."

I said as I swallowed.

"So…."

I said taking another bite out of my toast.

"Did you two enjoy the show this morning?"

I asked and both their faces turned a bright red and they both started sputtering apologies. I just smiled and ate my breakfast. They may be nosy as hell, but they're family and I love them.

When I finished my breakfast I left and headed for Yotomori's weapons shop. I had had him sharpen my sai and katana for me, and when we left to go to Konoha they hadn't been ready. I walked through the door and Yotomori smiled at me.

"Fayre!"

He said as I reached the counter.

"Good morning Mori. Tell me what I want to hear."

I said and he nodded before disappearing into the back of his shop, then coming back with a box in his hands and setting it on the counter. He opened it and I couldn't help but smile as he lifted my newly sharpened sai from the box and handed them to me. I spun them experimentally before putting them in the sheaths on my thighs.

"And your katana, just as sharp as your sai."

Yotomori said as he reached under his counter and pulled out my sword. I grabbed it and ran my thumb along the blade. I sheathed it on my back and smiled at Mori.

"They're perfect. Thanks Mori."

I said as I handed him the money I owed him.

"Don't mention it Fayre. You're my best customer."

He said and I smiled at him before leaving and heading for the backstreet where I said goodbye to Kiyomi last night.

The sun just reached the highest point in the sky, signaling it was noon, when I made it to the alley.

"Bout time you showed up."

A voice said form the shadows in the alley and I smiled as I walked towards it.

"Sorry, I had to pick some things up."

I said and herd footsteps coming my way until I saw Kiyomi walk out of the shadows. I smiled at her and she returned it.

"How bout some lunch? We can talk as we eat."

She said and I nodded before following her out of the alley to a Bar-B-Que shop. We grabbed a table in the back and ordered our food. When it was brought we started talking.

"So, how'd it go?"

She asked as she took a bite out of her ribs and I blushed.

"We made up."

I said as I bit into my own ribs.

"Ooh. How was he?"

She asked and I coughed in disbelief. I couldn't believe she was asking me this.

"You don't have to tell me, I was just curious."

She said after I stopped coughing.

"No, it's fine. You just caught me by surprise."

I said and she looked at me expectantly and I blushed even more.

"He may have lost the Shukaku that resided in him, but he's still an animal in bed."

I said and Kiyomi burst into a fit of laughter that made my blush darken.

"Damn. I wish I could get a man to love me."

She said and I smiled at her.

"I could always introduce you to Kankuro."

I said and she looked at me confused.

"But won't he and Lady Temari think of me as an enemy?"

She asked and I smiled as I shook my head.

"No. Temari and Kankuro already know we've become friends. And Gaara can deal with it if he doesn't like it."

I said and she smiled at me.

"He has no idea what he's gonna have to deal with."

She said and I smiled as I finished my food.

"You can come back with me and properly meet them."

I said and she nodded as she paid for our food and we headed out into the streets. I led the way back and held the door open for her and she walked in before I did. I followed after only to stop when I saw Temari and Kankuro both looking at Kiyomi with hostile yet confused looks on their faces.

"Fayre….what's going on?"

Temari asked and I smiled at her.

"This is Kiyomi and she's to be treated like a guest. She's my friend."

I said as I walked over to Kiyomi and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Temari and Kankuro's jaws dropped and their eyes bugged out. I wrapped Kiyomi and myself in sand and appeared in my room.

"That went well."

She said as I stepped away, making me laugh. They would come to deal with it, or they'd have to deal with me. Kiyomi was my friend and that was that.


	21. Chapter 21

-Kankuro-

I sated in disbelief at the spot where Fayre and that girl Kiyomi disappeared up the stairs. I couldn't believe Fayre'd been serious when she'd said her and that girl were friends, but there was no doubting it now.

"Did that really just happen?"

Temari asked and I just nodded.

"Gaara's not gonna like this."

She said and I laughed a bit at how true that was.

_'Fayre, I hope you know what you're going to have to deal with once my brother finds out.'_

I thought as I followed Temari out the door and headed towards the Kazekage tower.

* * *

-Gaara-

"She what!"

I yelled as I stood up, knocking my chair over in the process.

"Fay says she's not dangerous."

Temari said and I glared at her.

"And you two just let it go? That girl attacked us with the intent to kill us and almost killed Fayre!"

"We know, but Fayre trusts her. What do you want us to do? You know how Fayre is."

Kankuro said and I growled in both anger and annoyance before using my sand to appear outside of Fayre's room. I heard screaming and burst through the door, sand at the ready only to freeze when I saw Fayre and that ninja girl attacking each other with pillows. Fayre paused in her assault on the girl when she noticed me.

"Oh hey Gaara, what's up?"

She asked with a smile and I glared at how at ease she was with an enemy in the room. Despite if she 'trusts' her or not.

"Fayre, we need to talk."

I said as I straightened back up form the crouch I'd been in when I'd burst through the door.

"Uhh…I'll just leave you two alone."

The girl said before she walked past me and headed downstairs. Even though I knew she was out of earshot I stills hut the door.

"So what's up?"

Fayre asked as she sat on her bed.

"What's that girl doing here?"

I asked, trying to keep my anger from coming out in my voice.

"She's my friend."

Fayre said and I fought down the growl that wanted to escape.

"She tried to kill you."

"No, she tried to kill _you."_

"Even more of a reason not to trust her. How can you be friends with someone who not even three days ago tried to kill me!"

I asked and she glared at me.

* * *

-Fayre-

I couldn't believe the nerve of him. How _dare_ he. Like I wasn't capable of choosing friends. I trusted her and that's all that should matter.

"You don't know her story Gaara! You don't know hwy she did what she did!"

I yelled at him.

"I don't _want_ to know why she tried to kill me. The fact is she did!"

He yelled back and I threw my pillow at him as I stood up.

"Dammit Gaara, what's your problem! Do you not think I can choose trustworthy people to be my friends!"

I yelled and he glared at me.

"I have no doubt that you _can_, but you _didn't_ when you decided to be friends with her. For all you know she could still be trying to kill us. She could be waiting for a time when we drop our guard then she'll strike."

He said and I stared at him in shock. How could he think that? He doesn't know what she's been through. If he did he'd be more open to accepting her like I am.

"Fuck you Gaara!"

I yelled at him before charging at him and pinning him to the ground. He tried to use his sand against me, but I blocked it with my own. He grabbed my arm and flipped us over so he was pinning me down. I growled up at him before grabbing his arms and using my legs to kick him off me and throw him against the dresser on the far side of the room.

* * *

-Kankuro-

We all flinched when we heard something break from upstairs.

"What exactly has Lord Gaara so upset?"

Kiyomi asked and I was about to answer when we heard yelling from upstairs.

"She's my friend and I trust her and that's all that should matter!"

We heard Fayre shout before there was a loud thud from upstairs and more yelling ensued.

"She attacked us! You got injured _because_ of her and you expect us to just forget that and be okay with it!"

Gaara yelled before more crashes and thuds muffled out their yelling.

"It would seem he's upset about Fayre choosing you as a friend."

Temari said and Kiyomi silently looked at her feet. I could feel her discomfort and sadness through her chakra.

"Well I think that if Fayre trusts you, then so do I. You seem pretty cool anyways."

I said and she smiled slightly, but still looked at her feet. I nudged Temari and she rolled her eyes before saying something.

"Yeah. Fayre can usually see the good in people before they themselves see it. If Fayre approves of you, then so do I."

She said and Kiyomi's smile widened and she lifted her head to look at us with her light purple eyes.

"Thanks."

She said and I couldn't help but smile back at her before a loud bang from upstairs had us all look up.

"Fine! If you dislike the idea of me having her as my friend _so_ much then I'll just leave!"

Fayre yelled as she appeared at the top of the stairs.

As she walked down them I noticed a few cuts on her arms and face.

"Fayre?"

Temari asked as she headed for the door. She stopped and looked back at us.

"Sorry guys, but I won't put up with someone treating one of my friends like an enemy just because they don't think they can be trusted. Come on Kiyomi."

She said and Kiyomi nodded before going to join her. Then I watched the woman I'd come to think of as my sister walk out the door followed by the hot sand ninja that had become her friend.

_'Oh Gaara, what did you just do?'_


	22. Chapter 22

-Kiyomi-

"I can't _believe_ the nerve of him! Trying to say you're only pretending to be my friend so I'll let my guard down then you'll strike."

Fayre said, still ranting about her fight with the Kazekage as I led her to my apartment. It had three rooms; a bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room. The kitchen was small, but big as it need to be for how little I actually used it. My bedroom consisted of a pallet on the floor and a small walk-in closet. It had a bathroom attacked off to the left hand side. The living room was simple with a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table. It wasn't much, but it had been my home ever since Meratee killed my parents.

I turned my attention back to my still ranting friend and smiled at her as I sat down ont eh couch in the living room.

"Then he says I can't pick trustworthy people to be my friends and refused to listen to _why_ you thought you had to kill him. God, I swear, sometimes he's worse than Gale was when I worked at his place."

She said, finally ending her rant.

"Feel better?"

I asked with a smile.

"A little bit, yeah."

She said and I just shook my head at her. She was remarkable. Even though she was arguing with him she still risked her life to protect Lord Gaara. Then, instead of killing me, she allows me to live and helps me avenge my parents' deaths. We somehow went form being enemies to friends and she trusts me so wholeheartedly that she even risked her relationship with the guy she loves to show she's serious about keeping me as a friend. I've never had anyone trust me so much. All my life I've been deceived, so why does she trust me? But more importantly, why do _I_ trust _her?_

"Why?"

I asked after a while. My curiosity and confusion getting the best of me.

"Why what?"

She asked me confused.

"Why do you place so much trust in me when we were enemies until just a few days ago? Why do you risk so much just to prove I'm trustworthy?"

I asked and was shocked when she smiled up at me.

"Because…."

She said and I waited for her answer.

"We're friends. And if friends can't trust friends, then what good are they?"

She asked and I blinked in surprise at her before smiling in return.

_'Truly remarkable.'_

* * *

-Temari-

"God, this is worse than the time he'd thought we lost her."

Kankuro said as we watched our younger brother mope around the village. He'd do his paperwork, come home, sit at the table and stare blankly down at his food, then he'd go and stay locked up in his room.

"Well, it's his own damn fault."

I said and heard Kankuro sigh.

"True. Do you think those two will _ever_ make up?"

He asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe."

I said, but I doubted it. With the way Fayre left and how Gaara looked when he came down the stairs, it didn't seem like it.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

* * *

Temari watched as Fayre slammed the door behind her and Kiyomi with her sand. A couple of minutes later she and Kankuro heard footsteps on the stairs. They turned to look at their brother and gasped. He was covered in cuts. Along his arms, neck, and face. Some bleeding, while others were healing, but it was the look in his eyes that really shocked them. He looked broken.

"Gaara, what _happened?"_

Temari asked and heard her youngest brother sigh.

"We got into an argument and she left. Get someone to clean up her room and replace everything that's broken. I'm going to my room."

He said before disappearing down the hall. Temari and Kankuro hurried to Fayre's room to see the damage their 'argument' had caused and gasped at the destroyed bedroom. The vanity's mirror was shattered and had pieces lying on the floor. The dresser had been broken along the middle and the bed was completely tore to pieces. They quickly called in a couple of ninja to clean the place up and replace everything, but it felt empty without Fayre. The whole house did.

* * *

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

"We've _got_ to get those two to make up."

Kankuro said and I sighed.

"And how do you expect to do that?"

I asked turning to look at my brother.

"We get Gaara to admit that he was wrong."

He said with a smile. I didn't like the look on his face. It meant he had an idea and that usually didn't mean anything good.

"What are you thinking?"

I asked and his smile just widened.


	23. Chapter 23

-Temari-

"I don't know about this Kankuro. I mean, sending assassins after our own sister, it seems kinda….."

I trailed off, not sure how to word it.

"Insane?"

Kankuro offered and I nodded.

"Yeah."

"That's the point. They'll attack her and Kiyomi will protect her and prove she's trustworthy. Then Gaara will _have_ to admit he was wrong and they'll make up."

He said and as good of a plan as it sounded I still didn't' like it.

"Won't they figure out we sent them?"

I asked and Kankuro waved me off.

"Please Temari, what do you take me for? An idiot?"

He asked and I just looked at him.

"I sent out the letter from the middle of the desert using the transformation jutsu after already having made a clone of myself to prove that I was in the village the whole day. I used a fake name liked to another village. There's no way they can trace it back to us."

He said and I stared at my idiot brother in shock.

"You really thought this through."

I said and he just smiled.

"Now all you have to do is have Gaara stay inside so he doesn't see and spring into action, then we let the news spread throughout the village that Kiyomi protected Fayre and they will make up."

Kankuro said and I couldn't believe how far he'd thought this thing through. He was normally such a lazy bastard.

"Alright. So when does this plan of yours take place?"

I asked and Kankuro smiled at me.

"Right now."

He said and my eyes widened as I saw a group of ninja, about four or five, enter the village dressed as civilians, but I could tell by the way they carried themselves that they weren't ordinary people.

"What are you doing Temari!"

Kankuro snapped at me and I looked at him confused.

"Get inside and make sure Gaara stays out of this!"

He snapped and I nodded before heading inside to Gaara's office.

Kankuro had planned for it to happen right outside the Kazekage tower.

_'I hope his plan works.'_

I thought as I felt Fayre's chakra spike in surprise at the other ninja. Gaara shot out of his office and towards one of the many balconies he used to address the entire village.

_'Here we go.'_


	24. Chapter 24

-Gaara-

I was working or paperwork when I felt Fayre's chakra spike. I rushed out of my office and ran to the nearest balcony. I looked around and saw Fayre and that girl surrounded by about five ninja. Though they were dressed as civilians I could tell they weren't. I tried to interfere, but stopped when I saw that girl draw a kunai and step infront of Fayre. They appeared to be talking, then the ninja charged her. I tensed and almost jumped in to help them, but stopped again when I saw that girl Kiyomi knock out all five of the ninja and made sure none of them got to Fayre. When I was sure it was over I used my sand to get down to them.

"Fayre, are you okay?"

I asked and she just nodded.

"Yeah, thanks to Kiyomi. She protected me."

She said and I looked over at Kiyomi who was looking at her feet. I owed her an apology, big time.

"Kiyomi."

I said and noticed she flinched before raising her head to look at me.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted before. You may have been our enemy, but you just proved you are more than trustworthy. Please forgive me for my actions."

I said and bowed to her.

* * *

-Fayre-

I couldn't believe it. Gaara just admitted he was wrong _and_ apologized.

"I-It's okay."

Kiyomi said and I smiled at her before turning to Gaara who had straightened back up. I owed him an apology now.

"Gaara, I'm-"

I started, but Gaara cut me off.

"I'm sorry Fayre. I should have trusted you more than that."

He said and I blinked at him in surprise before smiling at him and wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him down so I could kiss him.

"I'm sorry too, I overreacted."

I said and he just smiled at me and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for another kiss.

* * *

-Kankuro-

"Yes!"

I yelled as I watched the end results of my plan come together.

"Told you it would work."

I said to Temari and she just shook her head at me.

"Good job Kankuro, good job."

She said and I beamed at her before turning away from the newly reunited couple and headed to my room. All that planning had made me tired and I planned on taking a really _long _nap.


	25. Chapter 25

**THREE WEEKS LATER**

-Fayre-

"Hey Fay."

Kiyomi said as she walked into the house.

"Kiyomi! What brings you here? Did your mission go well?"

I asked as I ran over to my best friend and gave her a hug.

"I came to see you and yes my mission went fine."

She said as I stepped back.

"Good. Come on, you're joining us for breakfast."

I said as I grabbed her hand.

"I don't know…."

She said and I pouted.

"Aww come on. Kankuro will be there."

I said and smiled at my friend when I saw the blush rise to her cheeks. Her and Kankuro obviously liked each other, but both were too scared to make the first move. Temari has tried to help Kankuro and I've been trying to help Kiyomi, but so far we haven't had any luck. Gaara thinks we're insane and should just let things happen naturally, but that's boring. I wanted those two together, it was right having them be single. I mean, I have Gaara, Temari has Shikimaru, Naruto has Hinata, Sakura has Kiba, Tenten has Neji. Hell, even Ino found love with Lee. So it seemed only fair that those two get together.

"O-Okay."

She said after a while and I smiled at her as I pulled her over to the kitchen table. I had her sit next to Kankuro's seat then set the table. I called up the stairs that breakfast was ready and took my seat next to Gaara's.

Temari came down first, followed by Gaara, then Kankuro. Temari and Gaara quickly took their seats, leaving Kankuro to have to sit next to Kiyomi. I noticed the blush on his face as he sat down. Kiyomi's face was just as red. I rolled my eyes at them before telling everyone to help themselves. Kankuro reached for a piece of bread at the same time Kiyomi did and they both froze and blushed when their hands touched.

"You take it."

Kankuro said, but Kiyomi shook her head.

"N-No, you go ahead."

She said and I wanted to bang my head on the table. It was so obvious!

After breakfast I volunteered Kiyomi to help Kankuro with the dishes since it was his turn. Hopefully if those two were left alone one of them would manage to make the first move. I watched them silently do dishes from the doorway and growled.

_'Time to make things interesting.'_

I thought as Kiyomi went to put a plate away. I used my sand and wrapped it around her feet, making her loose her balance and start to fall.

* * *

-Kiyomi-

I know that Fayre volunteered me to help Lord Kankuro with dishes because she was trying to help me, but I was too afraid to tell him how I felt out of fear that he'd reject me. I took the plate Lord Kankuro handed me and blushed when our hands touched again and I almost dropped the plate he was handing me.

_'Get a hold of yourself Kiyomi!'_

I snapped at myself as I moved to put the plate away. I suddenly felt something around my feet and lost my balance. I squealed as I started to fall. I closed my eyes expecting to feel the floor beneath me, but when it never came I opened my eyes to see Lord Kankuro had his arms around my waist and had caught me at the last minute. I blushed as I realized how intimately he was holding me and how close our faces were. He looked into my eyes and blushed before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I gasped in surprised and felt his tongue slide past my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

* * *

-Fayre-

_"Finally!"_

I yelled, but quickly clamped my hands over my mouth and retreated into the living room where Temari and Gaara were watching a movie.

"What?"

Temari asked curiously and I just smiled as I sat down next to Gaara.

"It finally happened."

I said and Temari squealed with joy.

"About time."

She said and I laughed a bit.

"You're telling me, but all they needed was a little push."

I said with a triumphant smile which earned me a 'what did you do' look from Gaara, but I just shook my head at him. It didn't matter how it happened, all that mattered was that it did.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: I haven't done this and I don't really see why i should since you all know i don't own Naruto, but I'll do it anyway.

I do **NOT** own Naruto or any of the characters from it. The only people I own are Fayre, Raja, Gale and his bar, and the village she was from.

Now that that's out of the way, read and review.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Bye guys!"

I yelled out as I pulled Kiyomi out with me.

"Bye Fayre, Kiyomi!"

Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari said in unison. I'd asked Kiyomi and Temari to come shopping with me since it was nearing a certain red haired Kazekage's birthday. Temari had to help her brothers with work so only me and Kiyomi were going.

"Come on Ki!"

I yelled as I ran ahead of her through the bustling streets of Suna.

"Slow down Fay, the store isn't going to close before we get there."

She said and I smiled at her and tried to slow down. I'd found the perfect gift for him about a week ago. It was a heart necklace that came in two pieces. It was for a couple to wear. The chain was sterling silver as was the pendant, but what made it so perfect was what the pieces said when put together.

"Come on!"

I yelled as I grabbed Kiyomi's hand and pulled her after me as I ran to the shop. I quickly bought it while she waited by the door. We walked out into the streets and I smiled down at the box in my hands.

"So, let me see."

Kiyomi said and I smiled goofily as I opened the box and pulled out the two necklaces. I laid them in her hand and she smiled down at them before handing them back. The two pieces were fixed together and I smiled at the elegantly engraved writing on the two pieces of heart.

_'Forever&Always'_

It didn't need to say love considering the words were engraved on a heart, but it was perfect. Now I just had to manage to keep the necklaces hidden from Gaara for the next four days. I slid them into my pocket and disposed of the box as Kiyomi and I headed for the ramen shop a few miles away from the house and the Kazekage tower.

We ate quickly and were on our way back to the house when I noticed something was off. The streets that had been so busy just moments ago were now deserted aside from Kiyomi and myself. I looked around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Where did everybody go?"

I wondered outloud and Kiyomi shrugged.

"I dunno."

She said and I sighed at her helpfulness. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and turned to see what it was, but saw nothing behind us. When I turned back around I noticed we were surrounded. In the blink of an eye one of the people stepped forward and stabbed something into the sides of my neck and everything went black. The last thing I heard was Kiyomi screaming my name.

* * *

-Kiyomi-

"Fayre!"

I yelled as one of the black and red clad people stabbed two senbon needles into the sides of her neck, rendering her unconscious and threw her over their shoulder. I glared at the four people infront of me. Fayre had told me about people dressed like these before, she'd said they were Akatsuki members, but she'd killed them.

"Give her back!"

I yelled and charged after the one holding Fayre only to be blocked by the other three.

"Kisame, Deydara, make sure she can't follow."

The one holding Fayre said before he took off with the one wearing an orange mask following close behind. I tried to go after them, but the two men before me stepped towards me. The blonde, who I was guessing was Deydara, drew a kunai and smirked at me while the one with spiky blue-black hair with a face that reminded me of a shark pulled a huge sword off his back.

_'This is not going to be good.'_

I thought as I prepared myself for their attacks.

* * *

-Kankuro-

I suddenly got a very bad feeling and looked up from the paperwork I was helping Gaara with.

"What is it Kankuro?"

Gaara asked and I shook my head.

"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling like something bad is about to happen."

I said as I got up and headed over to the window.

"Like what?"

Temari asked, but I ignored her and looked out over Suna from the window of our house. I noticed that the streets were unusually empty except for three figures. My eyes widened when I noticed that two of those figures were dressed in Akatsuki cloaks, but my heart stopped when I saw the third figure was Kiyomi. I was out of the room and running down the street before either of my siblings could say anything.

I reached Kiyomi just as the two Akatsuki members disappeared. I gathered her in my arms and stared down at her broken and bloody body. She had cuts along her face and arms, deep gashes on her stomach and legs, and I could tell her left arm was broken.

"Kiyomi!"

I yelled and she groaned in my arms. I sighed in relief that she was alive. I gingerly picked her up and hurried back to the house. I laid her down on the couch in the living room as Temari and Gaara came into the room.

"Kankuro, why did you run off like-oh my God!"

Temari gasped when she saw Kiyomi.

"What happened?"

She asked as she walked towards us.

"I don't know. I saw her and two Akatsuki members from the window, when I got to her they were gone and I found her like this. Fayre was no where to be seen."

I said and felt Gaara's chakra flare at that bit of information. Kiyomi groaned and I looked up at her as she opened her eyes.

"Kiyomi!"

I yelled and she coughed as she smiled at me, then frowned and winced.

"What happened?"

I asked and waited as she coughed again.

"Fayre and I were….walking back from a ramen shop when…we were ambushed by four Akatsuki members. One knocked Fayre out with senbon needles and…took her away, then ordered those two to…..make sure I couldn't follow."

She said in between coughs.

"What does the Akatsuki want with Fayre? She doesn't have a beast anymore."

Temari asked, but nobody had an answer to her question.

"Kiyomi, did you notice anything about where they might have gone?"

Gaara asked and I looked at him in shock. Kiyomi had just been attacked, I didn't think now was the time to be asking something like that.

"The one carrying Fayre and another one took off towards the East."

She said and I turned back to her to see her trying to sit up.

"Hey, you shouldn't be moving."

I said and she pushed my hands away.

"No. My friend just got kidnapped, there's no way I'm just going to lie here."

She said and I frowned at her.

"Stay put and heal. Temari, come with me."

Gaara said before leaving the room. Temari cast a worried look back at me and Kiyomi before following after him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."

Kiyomi said before coughing again.

"It's okay. I'm sure you did your best."

I said as I pushed her back down against the couch. As happy I was that Kiyomi was okay, I couldn't help but worry about Fayre. Just what did the Akatsuki want with her?


	27. Chapter 27

-Fayre-

I groaned as I opened my eyes. My neck hurt, but I couldn't remember having hurt it.

"Looks like she's awake."

A voice I didn't recognize said and I looked around. I saw I was in a cave of sorts with candles here and there providing a little bit of light. I smelled clearer air and it seemed slightly colder than normal.

_'Just where the heck am I?'_

I wondered as I continued to look around. I spotted a black haired man wearing a black and red Akatsuki cloak and everything came back to me.

'Kiyomi! Is Kiyomi alright? So help me if they hurt her they're going to pay.'

I thought as I glared at the man that walked into the cavern I was in. He had orange colored hair cut short and had multiple piercings in his ears, around his mouth, and on both sides of his nose. His eyes were an odd shade of purple that reminded me of the Hinata and Neji's eyes.

"Good, it would have been boring to do what I have planned for you while you were asleep."

The man said and I glared at him.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?"

I asked and he laughed at me.

"Yes, I suppose I can tell you who I am since you won't be going anywhere anytime soon."

He said as he stepped closer to me. I noticed he drew a kunai from within his cloak and held the tip against my cheek.

"My name is Pein and what I want from you my dear ookami, is revenge."

He said and I grit my teeth as I felt the cold steel of his kunai dig into my skin as he dragged it across my cheek.

"I no longer have my beast, what use am I to you?"

I asked and he shocked me when he laughed.

"Oh I know all about the extraction of your…..beast. Orochimaru was a fool and I lost several good men because of his arrogance."

He said and he moved to stare me right in the eyes.

"I want revenge because the men you killed were _my_ men."

He said before he dragged the end of his kunai across my other cheek. I felt my blood running down my face, but didn't make a sound.

"You might as well get comfortable ookami, because you're not going anywhere any time soon."

He said before stabbing his kunai into the cave wall by my head and walking out of the cavern.

Once he was out of sight I struggled against my restraints and hissed when the cold steel cut into my wrists and ankles. I tried reaching for the kunai, but growled when I got shocked by a chakra barrier around it. I sighed before hanging from my restraints.

_'Looks like I'm going to be here a while.'_

I thought to myself before closing my eyes and trying to keep from panicking. I gathered my chakra and used a small portion to heal the cuts on my cheeks. I heard muffled voices a few feet away, but then they disappeared leaving me in silence.

* * *

-Gaara-

I'd found traces of Fayre's blood in the sand and told Temari to send a letter to Konoha requesting the help of their finest Shinobi. I paced impatiently in my office as we waited for them to arrive.

"Calm down Gaara, Fayre can take care of herself."

Temari said and I growled at her and she shut up.

"What happened to Fayre?"

Naruto asked as he came into my office followed by Hinata, Neji, TenTen, Shikimaru, Kiba, Sakura, Ino, and Lee.

"She's been kidnapped by the Akatsuki."

I said and a silence fell over everyone.

"What do we do?"

Hinata asked, breaking the silence.

"We go after her of course."

Naruto said and I looked at my friend and smiled slightly.

"I'm not sure what they want with her, but we can't let her stay in their hands for too long."

I said and everyone nodded.

"When do we leave?"

A voice said from behind everyone and they all turned to see Kankuro standing in the doorway with a still recovering Kiyomi leaning against him.

"Kiyomi, you shouldn't be moving."

Temari said as she rushed to her side.

"I'm fine."

She said looking past Temari to look at me.

"Fayre is my friend, I'm not going to just lay around while she could be in danger."

She said and I nodded in appreciation to her.

"We leave in the next ten minutes. Prepare everything you think you'll need."

I said before turning to look at my brother.

"Make sure you don't slow us down."

I said silently telling him that we wouldn't slow down just because of Kiyomi's condition. He nodded and everyone cleared out of my office leaving only me and Temari in the room.

"It's okay Gaara, we'll get her back."

She said as she laid a hand on my shoulder.

"I hope so Temari."

I said as I moved over to the window and stared out over the desert as the sun started to set beneath the horizon.

_'I hope so.'_


	28. Chapter 28

-Itachi-

I flinched as I heard the sound of the whip crack through the air again and again and shivered when I remembered the time Pein had used it on me when I'd tried to get a message to my brother.

"How can she stand it? She doesn't make a single sound."

Kisame said, voicing my own questions.

"I don't know."

I said and flinched again as I heard the whip crack once more. I looked up when I saw Pein come out of the cavern. The front of his clothes was covered in her blood.

"One of you go clean her up, we don't want her to die just yet."

He said before disappearing deeper into the mountain. I sighed before getting up off the rock I'd been sitting on and walked into the cavern where she was chained. She was hanging from the chains pinned into the wall, they were the only thing keeping her up. I dipped a rag in cold water and started to clean her back. I noticed she hissed in pain when I first touched her broken skin, but other than that she didn't make a sound.

_'She's strong.'_

I thought as I cleaned her wounds and laid a couple of bandages on them to keep them from getting infected.

"You guys make no sense, you know that?"

She asked and I was shocked that she'd actually spoken. Her voice sounded hoarse, no doubt from the effort it took to keep her screams from being heard.

"First you torture me, then you tend to my wounds."

She said before her frame shook with what I could only guess to be laughter, but that stopped as soon as it started. I said nothing as I finished bandaging her wounds and walked out of the cavern.

_'I should hate that girl, but I don't. She killed my brother and my teammates, and yet I feel no hatred towards her.'_

I thought as I headed to the cave that housed my bed and belongings. We'd made our hideout deep in the base of the mountain. Pein said he wanted to get revenge for the members we lost, but in reality the only one he wants to get revenge for is Konan. Those two were almost inseparable. Konan was Pein's other half, just like Pein was Konan's other half. They were the best of friends and Konan was the only one that Pein ever truly trusted. Once he'd learned that a three tailed ookami had killed Orochimaru and the others years after having her beast extracted he'd hunted her down until he'd found her in Suna. He sent me and the others after her to bring back to him so he could get his revenge, it was only a matter of time before he grew tired of things and eventually killed her.

* * *

-Naruto-

The others and I gathered around the gates of Suna and waited for Gaara to tell us what to do. When he motioned for us to follow him we didn't hesitate. Fayre was our friend, if it hadn't been for her I never would have realized I loved Hinata. She had solved the rivalry between Ino and Sakura, stopped Lee from flirting with every young woman he saw, and even managed to get Shikimaru to stop sleeping all the time. She'd weaved her way into our lives, there was no way we wouldn't do everything we could to help get her back.

* * *

-Temari-

I watched Gaara as we ran through the desert. He was the only one who knew where to go. Kiyomi had just said that they'd headed East. I saw Kiba run up to Gaara and listened to what they said.

"You have her scent right?"

He asked my brother and he just nodded.

"If Akamaru and I had it we'd be able to help. Our sense of smell is keener than that of a humans. Your sense of smell may be heightened because traces of Shukaku linger in you, but ours is stronger."

Kiba said and I watched as my brother looked at him for a while before moving his sand so that the bit that had soaked up Fayre's blood was held out to Kiba and his pup. I watched as they sniffed it before Akamaru barked and raced ahead. Gaara pulled his sand back inside his gourd and sped up. I moved through the trees so that I was in step with Kiba.

"Do you really think your dog will be able to find her?"

I asked and he smiled at me.

"Don't doubt a dog's sense of smell."

He said and I nodded as we fell into silence. I guess all I could really hope for was that we find her soon. Who knows what Pein and the others could do to her in the time it takes for us to get to her.

* * *

**TWO DAYS LATER**

* * *

-Fayre-

My back stung like hell, but I grit my teeth and used my chakra to slowly heal the worst of it. That had been the seventh time Pein had whipped me and I could tell he was getting aggravated with the fact that I wouldn't scream. I'd lost track of how long its been since I was kidnapped. It seems like only hours, but I know it's been longer than that. I'd learned the names of the other Akatsuki members in the cave with me, I'd also learned that I was being held in a mountain somewhere in the East. Itachi had been the one who'd cleaned my wounds the first day I was brought here. Each time I saw him I felt bad, like I should apologize to him because I killed his brother, but each time I'd never gotten the chance.

I heard footsteps coming towards my cave and cut my chakra flow just as Itachi appeared in my line of vision. He walked over to the bowl of water and rung out a rag and started cleaning my wounds again, like he had the first time.

"I'm sorry."

I said and felt his hand still on my back.

"What do you have to be sorry about?"

He asked in a guarded tone and I was shocked he'd actually said something. Normally he'd just ignore me.

"For killing your brother. I know you probably hate me and would love to see me die, but know I gave him a chance to live but he chose to attack me anyways."

I said and felt his hand still again. I hissed in pain when I felt something wet fall onto my back and make the wounds on my back sting.

"Sorry."

He said as he dabbed at the spot where the wetness had fallen. He moved into my line of vision and my eyes widened when I saw tears streaming down his face.

"I don't hate you and I don't wish you dead. Sasuke made his own decisions and he had to face those consequences."

He said before he left. I smiled at his retreating form. I don't know why, but just knowing that he didn't hate me for what I did made me feel better. Then I remembered where I was and what kind of situation I was in and sighed to myself. I closed my eyes and focused my chakra to my back again, some hours later I fell asleep from the exhaustion of using my special jutsu to heal myself. It wasn't really a jutsu so much as being able to manipulate my chakra into doing as I wished.

I awoke some time later to the sound of footsteps coming my way. I opened my eyes to see Pein walking into the room along with Tobi and Deydara.

"Get her down."

Pein ordered and the blonde and child-like Akatsuki members walked over to me and unshackled my hands and feet. I fell to my knees from being held up for so long.

"Get up."

Pein snapped and I grit my teeth and unsteadily got to my feet. I looked him in the eyes and smiled to myself when he glared at me.

"Take her to Kisame. He'll know what to do."

Pein said before leaving. Tobi and Deydara grabbed me under my arms and hauled me off to somewhere within the mountain. It was too dark to see where they were taking me. They pushed me into a cavern and quickly disappeared. I looked around and didn't particularly like what I saw. Swords, kunais, shurikens, daggers, scythes, and sai littered the walls of the cavern on one side while whips and spears littered the other.

_'What is this, some kind of torture chamber?'_

I wondered to myself before I saw the familiar shark-like face of Kisame. He hauled me up by the back of my shirt and threw me onto a table of sorts. He strapped my hands and feet down so I couldn't move and smirked down at me.

"Pein would like for me to see if I can get you to make a sound. If I can, he wants to know."

He said as he walked over and picked up a couple of kunais and came back over to me.

"With how stubborn you are, this might take a while."

He said with a sickening smile before he stabbed the kunai into my legs. I grit my teeth and clenched my hands at my sides to keep in my scream. I saw him pick up some daggers and watched as he trailed the sharp edges across the skin on my thighs, stomach, and chest. When he saw that had no effect he threw those away and pulled one of the whips off the wall. I glared at him and he just smirked at me before he raised his hand and brought the whip down across my chest, stomach, and legs repeatedly. Throughout the whole thing I grit my teeth and refused to make a single sound. He'd gone through the kunai, the daggers, the shurikens, the whips, the spears, and the scythes. He pulled the swords down from the wall and walked over to me. My breathing was rapid and I could feel myself close to blacking out from loss of blood, but I kept my eyes on him. He trailed the blade of the sword along my skin as he walked around the table. He looked over my body and I shivered in disgust. He smirked down at me before raising his hand and ramming the sword through my hand. I tried to keep from screaming, but when he twisted it I couldn't help it anymore.

"There we go."

He said with a sickening amount of joy in his voice. He drove the second sword into my other hand and twisted it before turning and leaving. I barely heard him tell someone to clean me up and take me back to my cave before I lost consciousness and the blackness took over.


	29. Chapter 29

-Kankuro-

Kiyomi had almost fully healed, only the cuts on her arms refused to heal. We'd been following Fayre's scent for about four days. We finally reached the mountains in the East when we stopped for the night. I walked over to Temari who was watching Gaara sitting up in a tree.

"Four days. Do you think she'll be okay?"

Temari asked and I sighed.

"I don't know, but we can't give up. You know Gaara never will."

I said and she nodded before looking at me.

"How's Kiyomi?"

She asked and I smiled at her.

"She's fine. Only the cuts on her arms refused to heal."

I said and she nodded. We all settled down for the night. We'd checked everywhere and at one point we thought we'd lost their trail until Akamaru and Kiba picked up on a larger portion of Fayre's scent. We were only a half day's travel from the base of the mountain, we were pretty sure that was where they were hiding. Now all we had to do was find out where they were keeping Fayre.

"You should get some rest. We'll get there by tomorrow."

Neji said from beside me and I nodded as I snuggled closer to Kiyomi and closed my eyes. I hope he was right, because I don't think Gaara or anyone else could stand it much longer if we didn't find her soon.

* * *

-Pein-

"Well?"

I asked as Kisame came into the cavern my bed was in.

"She can take pretty much anything. She's one tough bitch."

He said and I frowned at him.

"But….?"

I prompted, hoping he found something that would make that bitch scream.

"It seems that impaling her is the only thing that gets her to make a scream."

He said and I smirked at him.

"Good. Bring her to me, I think it's about time we ended this."

I said and Kisame nodded before he took off to go get her. I'd finally get my revenge on that bitch for killing Konan.

"Pein!"

Deydara yelled as he ran into the cavern.

"What is it?"

I asked, slightly surprised by the frightened look in his eyes.

"There are Sand and Leaf Shinobi coming our way. I think they're coming after her."

He said and I smiled at him.

"Good. Deydara, you, Itachi, and Kisame are to keep them distracted. Keep them from getting to her until I'm finished with her."

I said and he nodded before taking off. I smiled to myself as I slowly headed towards the cave that that bitch was in. Today she'd pay, I'd make sure of it.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Itachi, you're needed outside."

Deydara said as he ran into the cavern.

"But Pein said to bring her to him."

Itachi said and Deydara sighed.

"Forget that! He said to get outside, now!"

Deydara yelled and Itachi nodded before they both left. I looked around surprised when I noticed Itachi, Deydara, and Kisame's chakra's left the mountain completely. I tried searching for Pein's chakra, but I couldn't. It was then that I noticed Tobi.

"Tobi, come here."

I said and he looked up at me surprised that I had spoken to him before walking over to me. He was so child-like that it was almost a crime to think he was involved with someone like Pein.

"Tobi, get me down."

I said and he shook his head.

"Tobi can't do that. Pein said not to let you go and Tobi is a good boy."

He said and I sighed to myself.

"Tobi _is_ a good boy, but I hurt. Won't you please let me down?"

I asked and saw indecision in his eyes before he started to let me down, but he stilled and looked towards the entrance of the cavern before disappearing.

"Fuck."

I said as I struggled to get down.

"That's no use."

Pein's voice said from the entrance of the cavern and I looked up to see him smirking at me. He surprised me by letting me down and stepping away from me.

"I thought you wanted to kill me."

I said as I stood up and rubbed my sore wrists.

"I do, but I want you to beg for your life."

He said as he pulled a kunai from his cloak.

"Not likely to happen."

I said as I crouched down, preparing for anything.

"We shall see."

He said before he charged at me.

* * *

-Gaara-

"She's definitely inside. I can sense her chakra, but something's off about it."

Hinata said, but I ignored the rest of what she said. All I needed to hear was that she was alive.

"Alright. Move!"

I yelled and everyone jumped from the trees and headed towards the mountain. Kankuro, Kiyomi, Ino, Neji, and Hinata got stopped by Deydara. Naruto, Lee, Kiba, TenTen, Sakura, Temari and Shikimaru got stopped by Itachi. And I got stopped by Kisame.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A bunch of Shinobi brats come to save a single girl?"

He said and I growled at him. He smirked at me and drew the sword from his back.

"Where is she?"

I demanded and he laughed at me.

"Inside facing off against Pein. I'd hurry if I were you, she won't last long in the state I left her in."

He said and I charged at him.

* * *

-Fayre-

I coughed as I held a hand to my side. Pein was stronger than I'd thought.

_'I shouldn't have been so careless.'_

I thought as I watched Pein smirk at me as he slowly walked towards me. I tried to step away from him, but he reached out and grabbed me and threw me to the ground. The wounds Kisame had inflicted on me earlier were still fresh and were making me weak, then to top it all off Pein wasn't holding anything back.

"I think it's about time we ended this, don't you?"

He asked me as he signed above me. I looked up to see him smirking evilly down at me before a searing pain shot through my hand and I screamed.

"Yes, that's it. Scream."

Pein said before pain shot through my other hand. I turned my eyes to see what was happening to me to see my hands were pinned to the floor of the cave by two, huge black pillars charged with Pein's chakra. I tried to move, but stopped when I was shocked with his chakra. I heard him laugh and looked up at him as he got up off me and continued to sign. Two more pillars materialized out of nowhere and rammed through both of my legs. I screamed and felt tears in my eyes as I realized there was nothing I could do to get out of this.

I watched as pillar after pillar appeared out of nowhere and drove into different parts of my body and I couldn't help but scream as it did so. I watched as a pillar headed straight for my stomach, but was stopped by a wall of sand that I hadn't controlled.

"What the…?"

Pein asked, voicing the same thing going through my mind. I hadn't done that. Pein got closer to me and drew a kunai from his cloak. He raised his hand and drove it towards my stomach, only to have it stopped by a wall of sand again and thrown across the cavern.

"You're pregnant with his child?"

Pein asked surprised and my eyes widened as I felt a miniature chakra flare from within me. He was right, I could feel the chakra of my unborn child inside me. It gave me a new will to live and I struggled against the pillars pinning me down to the ground, but it was no use.

"Hahaha, now I have even more of a reason to kill you."

Pein said as he signed for another pillar to appear. My eyes widened as I saw more than one pillar materialize in the air above me. When I realized he was going to try to kill my child before killing me I closed my eyes and screamed at the top of my lungs.

* * *

-Gaara-

I froze when I heard Fayre's scream from within the mountain.

"Hahaha, looks like Pein's finally gotten to her."

Kisame said and I glared at him.

"Move."

I said and he just smirked at me before charging at me with his sword. I dodged him and headed for the mountain, only to be blocked by Kisame.

"We'll have none of that."

He said and I growled before punching him and sending him flying into the trees. I stilled when I heard Fayre scream again, but this time it was different. It wasn't from pain, it was out of fear.

_'Fayre!'_

I screamed in my mind as I ran towards the mountain, but Kisame stopped me again.

"Enough of this!"

I yelled as I used my sand to surround him. I tightened its hold around him until I could feel his blood soak into the grains of my sand and I heard his bones snap and my sand muffle his cry of agony. I called my sand back to me and let Kisame's dead body fall to the ground. I ignored it and ran towards the mountain as Fayre's scream got cut off suddenly.

"Fayre!"

I screamed and ran into the mountain.

* * *

A/N: Will he get to Fayre in time? Or will he be too late? Review to find out.


	30. Chapter 30

-Kankuro-

I looked up when I heard my brother call out Fayre's name, only to see him disappear into the mountain. I looked around me to see the others taking care of Itachi and Deydara.

"Temari, Naruto!"

I yelled and they both looked at me. I only pointed towards the mountain and they both nodded before following after me. The others could handle it outside, but we couldn't let Gaara deal with Pein by himself, or let him face whatever condition Fayre might be in by himself. It was like a maze inside the mountain, but Naruto said he could feel Gaara's chakra from deeper within the mountain and led the way. Temari and I ran after him as he ran left and right and led us deeper into the mountain. We finally stopped at a cavern and I couldn't believe what I saw. Gaara was fighting against Pein who was laughing and Fayre lay on the ground, with several black pillars run through her body.

"Oh my God."

Temari gasped and I walked towards Fayre, not really being able to believe it.

_'No, she's can't be dead.'_

I thought as I walked closer. She coughed and I sighed in relief that she was alive.

"Fayre."

I said as I reached her. She opened her eyes and looked up at me.

"K-Kankuro?"

She asked and I smiled at her.

"Hey."

I said as I brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Where's Gaara?"

She asked and I frowned.

"He's fighting Pein. Hold on, we'll get you out."

I said as I moved to pull one of the pillars out, but stopped when Fayre screamed.

"Ah! Don't touch them! They're charged with Pein's chakra!"

She yelled and I instantly backed away from them.

"Don't worry. Gaara will kill Pein and then we'll figure something out."

I said, but when she didn't say anything I looked over to see Pein pinning Gaara down with a kunai to his throat.

"Temari, Naruto! Help him!"

I yelled and they both raced to help. Naruto managed to get Pein off him and Temari helped Gaara to his feet.

"Kankuro….what's going on?"

Fayre asked and I looked back at her.

"Nothing. We've got everything under control."

I said, but knew differently. Temari and Naruto were trying to hold Pein down while Gaara attacked him, but he was too strong. But I couldn't tell Fayre that.

"Kankuro! We need your help!"

Temari yelled and I flinched. I looked back at Fayre and frowned when I realized her eyes were slowly dimming as the life slowly drained out of her.

"Kankuro!"

Temari yelled again and I gave Fayre one last look before running over to them and charging at Pein. I stabbed him with a kunai only to find out it was a substitution.

We heard laughter and we all looked around. I looked behind us back at Fayre to find Pein standing by her. He signed something and a pillar materialized in the air above her. He smirked at us before sending the pillar straight for Fayre.

"No!"

I screamed, but it was too late. I watched, frozen in place, as the pillar fell through the air and drove itself into Fayre's chest. She screamed and for a time that was the only thing any of us could hear, then it died only to be replaced by Gaara's scream of anger as he charged at Pein who laughed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Gaara started to run out of the cave after him, but I stopped him.

"Gaara!"

I yelled and he froze and looked back at me. Temari, Naruto and I walked over towards Fayre who's breathing was labored and blood pooled around her.

"Fayre!"

Gaara yelled as he ran to her side. He fell to his knees and looked her over. I could see the pain in my brother's eyes as he looked at the woman he loved pinned to the ground and he was unable to help her.

"It's okay Fayre, I'm here."

He said as he brushed her hair out of her face. I heard her cough and saw blood pool up around her mouth and felt tears stinging my eyes as I watched the woman I'd come to think of as my sister slowly die infront of me. I watched as Gaara reached for one of the pillars pinning her hands down and tried to pull it out, but stopped when Fayre screamed.

"I know it hurts, but it has to come out."

He said in a whisper and once Fayre nodded he pulled out the first pillar pinning her down. Her scream echoed throughout the cavern, but it was far from over.

I watched as Gaara started to pull the pillar out of her other hand, but stopped when Fayre's hand grabbed his own.

"No. I can't…..leave it."

She said and Gaara nodded to her.

* * *

-Gaara-

I stared down at Fayre with an empty feeling in my chest. I'd only pulled out one of the pillars holding her down, but she said she couldn't handle having the others pulled out. She was covered in wounds. She had a nasty gash on her side, opposite to the side where Kiyomi's gash had been. Her hands I could tell had already been stabbed. She had cuts along her arms and face, as well as her legs. Her clothes were torn and I could tell she'd been tortured before she fought against Pein.

"Gaara."

Fayre said and I looked her in the eyes.

"We'll get you out, don't worry."

I said and felt my blood run cold when she shook her head.

"There's nothing you can do."

She said and I shook my head at her.

"No. Don't give up! We can get Sakura in here to heal you as we take out the pillars."

I said, but she simply shook her head.

"She wouldn't be able to help. I've lost…too much blood and his last pillar barely missed…..my heart."

She said in between coughs.

"No Fayre, you can't give up. You can't leave me."

I said and she smiled up at me sadly.

"You've got to be strong for them Gaara."

She said and I saw tears in her eyes. She was giving up.

"No."

I said, but she continued anyways.

"You've got to be strong for your siblings and your village."

She said and I felt tears stinging my eyes.

"Fayre no."

I said, but she just smiled up at me and raised her only free hand to my face.

"Do me one last thing Gaara."

She said and I closed my eyes as I realized I was about to lose her. She was only hanging on by a thread. I wrapped my hand around hers and held it close to me as I opened my eyes and stared into her dimming turquoise ones.

"Anything."

I said, just barely above a whisper.

"Kiss me."

She said closing her eyes. I tightened my hold on her hand before I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. Her lips held little warmth and as I pulled back to stare at her I realized she was already gone.

I felt my tears spill over and run down my face.

"Gaara?"

Temari asked, breaking the silence that fell around us. When I didn't say anything I heard her gasp.

"No."

She said and I could hear her crying. I stood up and turned to look at them. Kankuro was holding Temari to him as she cried with tears streaming down his own face. Naruto was staring blankly at Fayre's still form. I couldn't stand to be in the cavern anymore. My body felt numb and I didn't really have any control over my body. I was vaguely aware that I'd found my way out of the mountain and back to where Neji and the others were fighting Itachi and Deydara. I noticed the Akatsuki members were all gone and as I appeared Neji and them all ran to me. Some were severely wounded, but they could all still stand. I barely heard Hinata ask about Fayre and the pain in my chest increased. Out of everything, the numbness allowed me to feel the pain of my heart breaking.

"She…."

I started, but found I had trouble saying it. But there was no denying it. I'd watched her as the life slowly drained out of her, I could tell she was barely hanging on and that she'd already given up. Pein had tortured her and attacked her and when we got there it was too late.

"She what? Where's Fayre?"

Hinata asked and I took a shaky breath as I readied myself to tell them what had happened to her.

"She's…..dead."


	31. Chapter 31

-Kankuro-

I watched as Gaara left, and to be honest I couldn't blame him. The woman he loved just died in his arms. I hugged Temari close as she cried into my chest.

"Naruto, can you….get those things out of her?"

I asked and he snapped out of his daze and nodded before walking over to Fayre's limp body and pulled out the pillars. They made a sickening sound as he pulled each one of them out and after the third one I pulled Temari out of the cavern with me and made our way out of the mountain. We walked out into the moonlight and I noticed that Gaara was nowhere to be seen, but the others were all sitting on the ground with blank looks on their faces.

_'Looks like Gaara told them.'_

I thought as I walked over to Neji who held TenTen in his arms.

"Is it true?"

TenTen asked as we reached them. I couldn't bring myself to say it so I just nodded. She cried and buried her face in Neji's shoulder and I sighed as I leaned against a tree and held Temari as she continued to cry. It was effecting all of us, but I believe Gaara was taking it the hardest.

* * *

-Fayre-

I felt something soft and warm beneath me and was confused because the last thing I remembered was being pinned to the ground by Pein's chakra infused pillars and the feel of Gaara's lips against mine.

"Open your eyes Fay."

A familiar voice I hadn't heard in years said and my eyes snapped open and I sat up in shock. My eyes widened and began to water when I saw the tanned skin, dark green eyes, and messy red hair that could only belong to one person.

"Raja!"

I screamed at him before jumping up off of whatever I had been lying on and tackling him into a hug.

"It seems like you haven't lost any of your rashness."

He said with a laugh as he wrapped his arms around me and returned the hug.

"So _you_ are the girl my ex-host has chosen to spend his life with. I must say, that child has good taste."

A different voice said and I turned my head to the left to see a black and sand colored, one tailed raccoon looking beast looking at me with yellow eyes.

"Be nice Shukaku."

Raja said and I heard the raccoon named Shukaku sigh.

"I was only complementing her on her beauty."

He said and I heard Raja growl at him and mumble something that sounded like 'perverted raccoon' under his breath before he looked back at me.

"Fayre, tell me of your life since that night."

Raja said and I didn't have to ask which night he was talking about. I wanted to, I wanted to spend as much time as I could with him now that we were together again, but I also wanted to know where I was and if I could ever see Gaara again.

"Perhaps you should explain to her where we are first Raja."

Shukaku said and Raja looked at him in surprise and his eyes widened in shock before he turned to look at me.

"I completely forgot!"

He said and I smiled at him.

"Still as forgetful as ever Raj."

I said and he laughed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah."

He said before taking my hand.

"Come on, I'll explain on the way."

He said as he started to lead me down a path that I hadn't even realized was there before just now. I looked behind me to see I had been lying on a cloud.

_'Just where the hell am I?'_

I wondered as I followed Raja and Shukaku down the path.

"Okay, well first things first. You're dead Fayre."

He said and I stopped short.

"Say what!"

I yelped and he turned back to look at me.

"You can't tell me that you're surprised to hear that. I mean come on, Shukaku and I were extracted and killed. You were tortured and had a pillar ram through your chest and miss your heart by three inches. You can't honestly tell me you thought you were just dreaming."

Raja said and now that he'd put it that way I guess he was right.

"Is there any way I can get back?"

I asked and I heard Raja sigh.

"Well that bit's a little more complicated."

He said and I looked at him confused.

"Come on, I'll tell you once we're inside."

He said as he pulled me along after him.

"Inside where?"

I asked looking around, but my mouth fell open when I saw a huge house that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Raja opened the door and let me go in first. He and Shukaku came in after and they led me to the kitchen. The table was already set for three and was covered in marvelous food that made my mouth water.

"Sit down Fay, we have a lot to talk about."

Raja said as he and Shukaku took their seats. I nodded numbly and sat down between them.

* * *

-Naruto-

I finished pulling out all the pillars in Fayre's body and gingerly picked her up. I carried her outside and stepped out into the moonlight. It cast it's light on Fayre's blood covered face and made her skin look like it was glowing. I felt tears in my eyes, but held them back as I walked over towards the others. Kankuro was leaning against a tree holding his sister as she cried. Neji and TenTen were sitting on the ground next to them. Lee was holding a crying Ino, Hinata and Sakura were crying silently and Kiba was trying to comfort them both. Gaara was nowhere to be seen.

"Sakura."

I called and she looked up at me before coming over to me.

"I know she's…..dead."

I said, forcing the word past my lips.

"But do you think you can heal her wounds?"

I asked and she nodded before raising her hands and hovering them over Fayre's limp body in my arms and her hands glowed a pale green and I watched as Sakura's chakra made all of Fayre's cuts, gashes, and wounds stitch together and disappear.

"Thank you."

I said as she cut the chakra flow to her hands. She just nodded before walking back over to Kiba who wrapped his arms around her.

"We should take her back to Suna."

I said to Kankuro and he nodded and followed me as I headed in that direction. Everyone else fell instep behind us. It was silent the entire time and we eventually had to stop and rest. No body wanted to just bury her where we were, we wanted her to be buried in Suna where she could be remembered. I laid her body down in a patch of soft grass and sat against a nearby tree and closed my eyes as the tears ran down my chin.

"We all miss her."

Hinata's voice said and I opened my eyes to see her standing next to me, but her eyes were on Fayre's still form.

"Hinata, you shouldn't-"

I started, but she cut me off with a shake of her head.

"I'm okay."

She said before she knelt down beside me and leaned against me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

"I still can't believe she's gone."

I said.

"I know, but she is."

She said and I sighed as I closed my eyes again. It would take us three days to get to Suna, then it'd be up to Gaara to give her a proper burial.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Okay, so let me get this straight."

I said looking at both Raja and Shukaku.

"I am currently in the Realm of Gods and demons and tailed beasts are actually Gods that were sent to Earth to help those that needed it and that's why you were sealed inside of Gaara and my bloodline makes us have demons within us?"

I asked slightly confused.

"Yes, but it's slightly more complicated than that. With the tailed beasts like Shukaku they are actually Gods sent to Earth that were sealed into their hosts for several different reasons. Where demons like me Demi-Gods and are born into our hosts through their bloodlines."

Raja said and I nodded in understanding.

"Ooookay."

I said as I looked back down at my now empty plate of food.

"Then why have us believe you guys are beast and such? Why not tell us you're actually Gods and Demi-Gods?"

I asked and Shukaku sighed.

"Because, the information would have made you power hungry and blood thirsty. Well in Gaara's case when I was still with him blood thirstier."

Shukaku said and I glared at him.

"He's right Fay, you hosts wouldn't have been able to handle the information of knowing that you housed Gods within yourselves. You would have lost the part of you that was human and gone crazy."

Raja said and I sighed as I realized he was right.

"Okay, fine. But I'm not calling you Gods or anything. You're still a demon to me."

I said pointing to Raja.

"And you're still the one tailed, raccoon beast that was sealed inside Gaara."

I said pointing to Shukaku and they both nodded in understanding.

"That explains where I am, but not if I can get back."

I said and noticed Raja stiffened.

"Before we get to that you've got to understand, we can only do this once."

Raja said and I looked at him confused.

"Do what?"

I asked and Shukaku sighed at me.

"Gods your dense."

He said and I growled at him and he smirked at me.

"Bring you back to life. We can only do it once."

Raja said and my eyes widened.

"You can bring me back? You can make it so I can see Gaara again?"

I asked and he nodded, but I noticed the solemn look on his face and my happiness died.

"What is it?"

I asked.

"You know that you were with child when you died correct?"

Raja asked and I felt tears sting my eyes as I remembered Pein informing me that I was pregnant with Gaara's child.

"Yes."

I said in a small voice.

"We can only bring you back, not your child."

He said and I saw Shukaku look at him weird, but ignored it and nodded in understanding.

"That's okay."

I said and he and Shukaku looked at me shocked.

"If I get a chance to go back and be with Gaara again, then we'll have a chance to try again."

I said and Raja smiled at me while Shukaku just scoffed. That raccoon was really pissing me off.

"Now the choice is solely up to you."

Raja said and I looked at him confused. Did he really expect me to reject such an offer? There had to be a reason why.

"Raja, what is it?"

I asked and he blinked at me in surprise before smiling at me.

"You never miss anything do you Fay?"

He asked and I just looked at him.

"We _can _give you the power to kill Pein, but it will take time."

He said and I froze.

"How much time?"

I asked warily.

"Just a day."

He said and I thought about it.

"How would you give me the power?"

I asked.

"The same way we'd send you back, through a drink."

He said and I nodded.

"Okay Raja. I will wait one day before asking that you send me back."

I said and he smiled at me before getting up and showing me to a room upstairs.

"Get some sleep, I'll get you for breakfast in the morning. By then we shall be ready."

He said before bidding me goodnight and leaving.

I flopped down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. The bed was just like that of my room back in Gaara's house. Only the colors were gold and white instead of red and gold.

_'They can give me the power to kill Pein, and they can send me back. All I have to do is wait till tomorrow morning.'_

I thought with a sigh as I rolled over onto my side.

_'I wonder how everyone will react when I come back? They must be complete wrecks knowing I'm dead. And Gaara.'_

I thought and felt my eyes sting with tears and couldn't stop them from falling down my face. It must be killing him knowing he was too late.

_'Just wait a little longer Gaara. I'm coming back to you.'_

I thought before closing my eyes and falling asleep.


	32. Chapter 32

-Hinata-

I walked beside Naruto as he carried Fayre in his arms as we continued to head towards Suna. Everyone was silent as they grieved over the loss of Fayre. She was a dear friend to all of us and to lose her like this was almost unbearable. We passed through the gates of Suna and Naruto walked straight into the Kazekage tower and headed for Gaara's office. We could all feel his chakra from the moment we stepped through the gates, he was probably taking this the hardest out of everyone and who could blame him? She was the love of his life and he wasn't able to save her.

Naruto stopped right outside of Gaara's office and turned towards everyone.

"Maybe you guys should wait downstairs."

He said and Neji and the others nodded before heading back down. Only me, Naruto, Temari, Kankuro, and Kiyomi were left standing outside of Gaara's office.

"Kankuro, if you would."

Naruto said and Kankuro nodded before opening the door and allowing us all to go in. We saw Gaara sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands, tears falling down his face. It was the first time I'd ever seen him show an emotion other than anger or happiness. Fayre had brought happiness into his life and now that she was gone so was it.

"Gaara, I know now isn't the best time, but we should give her a proper burial."

Naruto said and Gaara lifted his head to look at us and I gasped in surprise. I didn't think it was possible for anyone to look so sad and lonely. It looked like Gaara had lost everything in the world that had mattered to him, and in a way, he had.

* * *

-Fayre-

I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes to stare into the dark green eyes of Raja.

"Come on, get up. It's time."

He said and I nodded to him as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I followed him downstairs to the kitchen where Shukaku was already sitting at the table. It was set with more food, but this time it was breakfast food instead of dinner. I sat down across from him as Raja took his seat next to me.

"Eat."

Shukaku said, but I shook my head.

"No. I can't let them suffer any longer than they have to."

I said and Raja smiled at me.

"I understand that Fayre, but you should still eat."

He said and I sighed before fixing me a plate and eating it. Shukaku fussed at me for eating like a pig when I had tried to scarf down all my food as quick as I could and Raja told me to slow down so I did.

_'Hurry up, I want to get back.'_

I thought with a sigh as I ate at a more leisurely pace.

_'Hold on just a little bit longer Gaara.'_

* * *

-Gaara-

I had agreed with Naruto about having a proper burial for Fayre and had had it all set up. Sakura had made sure all of Fayre's wounds were healed and she was dressed for the funeral. I saw no point in dolling her up if she was just going to be put in the ground, but let it happen anyways. When it had been done I made everyone leave the room so I could say my last goodbyes. I know it was stupid considering she was already gone, but I had to. I just had to see her face one last time before she was buried beneath the sandy earth.

I sat down in the chair next to where she lay and grabbed her cold hand in one of my own.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't get there in time."

I said to her, even though I knew she couldn't hear me. I felt tears in my eyes as the full extent of her loss hit me again for the second time. Tsunade had looked her over and when she'd told me Fayre had been with child I broke down. Not only had I lost the woman I loved, but also our unborn child.

"I should have been there, I'm so sorry."

I said as I squeezed her hand. I jumped when I thought I felt her hand squeeze mine in return, but shook that thought from my mind. There was no way that could have happened, she's dead.

"Oh Fayre. I'm sorry."

I said as I stood up and pressed my lips to hers in a final farewell. I turned and headed for the door, but stopped with my hand on the handle when I heard her voice.

"Has anyone ever told you that you apologize way too much?"

She asked and I turned around to stare at her in shock when I saw she was sitting up and staring at me.

"F-Fayre?"


	33. Chapter 33

-Fayre-

"Are you sure you're ready to go back?"

Shukaku asked and I nodded.

"Yes."

I said and they both nodded before Raja pushed a golden cup towards me. I couldn't see the contents of the glass, but I could tell it was something powerful.

"This will give you the strength to kill Pein when you next encounter him."

Raja said and I nodded as I picked up the cup and downed its contents. I could feel a surge of power rush through my body and shivered.

"I still don't see why you died in the first place. Anyone my ex-host intends to spend his life with should be able to take care of themselves."

Shukaku said and I glared at him. I'd had enough of his rude comments. I grabbed the butter knife from the middle of the table and threw it at him. It sank into his shoulder and he hollered in pain.

"You bitch!"

He screamed and I smirked at him and Raja laughed.

"You should have known better than to insult her Shukaku. Fayre isn't one to mess with."

Raja said and Shukaku glared at me as he pulled the butter knife out of his shoulder and laid it down on the table.

"I suppose you're okay after all."

He said and I smiled at him.

"This will send you back."

Raja said pushing a silver cup towards me. It glowed slightly and I shakily reached out for it.

"Keep in mind Fayre, that we can only bring you back once. If you die again, there would be no way for you to come back a second time."

Raja said and I nodded before downing the silver cups contents. I felt a cold feeling rush through my veins and looked back up at Shukaku and Raja.

"This is goodbye Fayre. It was good to see you again. I'll always be watching over you, and who knows. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime in the future."

He said and I smiled at him before the image of him and Shukaku faded and I was thrown into a world of darkness.

* * *

-Raja-

"Why'd you lie to her?"

Shukaku asked once Fayre had disappeared from our realm.

"Because, if she had known she wouldn't risk her life to face Pein again."

I said and Shukaku sighed.

"I know Fayre, and believe me. Lying to her was the best way to make sure she faces off against Pein again."

I said and he nodded before starting to eat. I sighed to myself before picking at my food.

_'Good luck Fayre, you'll need it.'_

* * *

-Fayre-

I felt pressure on my hand and squeezed it. I heard someone saying they were sorry for not getting there in time and realized it was Gaara. I focused in on his voice and felt my body grow heavy and felt something hard beneath me.

"Oh Fayre. I'm sorry."

I heard Gaara say for the third time before I felt something warm press against my lips. I felt his hand leave mine and his chakra move away. I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling above me. I sat up and stared at the back of Gaara's head, his back was to me as he walked towards the door.

"Has anyone ever told you that you apologize way too much?"

I asked and he spun around to look at me in complete shock.

"F-Fayre?"

He asked and I smiled at him.

"The one and only."

I said and he ran over to me and I felt his hands run all over me. Touching my face, my arms, my stomach, then back to my face.

"Y-You're alive, but how?"

He asked as he looked me in the eyes. I could see the pain that had been in them, but that was replaced with relief.

"Long story short, we owe Shukaku and Raja big time."

I said and he looked at me confused for a second before he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him and kissed me. I had honestly missed the feeling of his lips against mine.

"I don't understand. How is this possible?"

He asked as he pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine. I smiled at him before telling him of Shukaku and Raja's true nature as well as the other tailed beasts and how I'd been given a second chance. I left out the bit of Raja giving me the power to kill Pein, I knew Gaara wouldn't want me going anywhere near him again. He'd lost me once, I'm sure he wouldn't want to risk losing me again.

"You were right, we owe them big time."

He said before kissing me again.

A knock on the door made us freeze.

"Gaara? Are you alright? It's time for the funeral."

Kankuro's voice said from the other side of the door and I finally noticed the clothes Gaara and I both were in. He was in a black version of his Kazekage robes and I was in a black one piece dress that stopped just below my knees.

"You guys had planned a funeral for me?"

I asked and Gaara just stared at me and I realized how uncomfortable that subject must be.

"Dammit Gaara, I understand that it's hard on you, but we have to face facts. Fayre's dead and there's no changing tha-Fayre!"

Kankuro yelled in surprise as he opened the door and walked into the room. His eyes widened when he saw me and I smiled at him.

"Hey Kanky, you look like you've seen a ghost."

I said and he stared at me for a second longer before falling to floor unconscious.

"Well that could have gone better."

I said and heard Gaara laugh a bit before helping me down from the table I'd been sitting on.

"This is going to be really hard to explain to everyone how it is that you're actually alive."

He said before walking over to Kankuro and grabbing picking him up. He wrapped us all in sand before we appeared in his office.

"Stay here and if he wakes up, try not to traumatize him anymore."

Gaara said before disappearing in a whirlwind of sand. I sighed before sitting on Gaara's desk and looking at an unconscious Kankuro who sat in one of the chairs infront of Gaara's desk.

It wasn't very long before he came to and I couldn't help it, I had to. He rubbed his head as he opened his eyes.

"Kaaankuuuurrroooo"

I said in my best ghost-like voice and his head shot up and he stared at me with wide eyes.

"Ah!"

He screamed before he flipped backwards out of the chair he'd been sitting in. I burst out laughing and almost fell off the desk.

"What the….?"

Kankuro asked as he peeked over the edge of the chair at me.

"Oh my God! You should have seen your face, it was priceless!"

I said holding my sides as I tried to get my laughter under control.

"Fayre, you're alive!"

He asked and I nodded as I finally got my laughter under control.

"What the hell! I thought you were a ghost, don't fucking _do_ that to people!"

He yelled and I suddenly felt really bad.

"I'm sorry Kanky."

I said with a pout and the anger faded from his face and he sighed before walking over to me and gathering me in his arms.

"It's okay. But how is this possible?"

He asked as he pulled back from our hug. I relayed the same story I'd told Gaara and he stared at me in shock.

"Wow."

He said and I nodded.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

Just then Gaara appeared in the room along with Neji, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, Shikimaru, Kiba, Ino, Lee, TenTen, Kiyomi, and Temari.

"Gaara what's the meaning of this? Why'd you bring us up to your office? We should be getting on with the funeral."

Neji said and Gaara just ignored him and looked at me. I saw the silent message in his eyes and sighed to myself before clearing my throat, and effectively drawing the attention of everyone in the room. All of their eyes widened in shock before they all effectively collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"Okay, what the hell is with everyone and reacting that way?"

I said a little angrily and Gaara laughed as he came over to me and wrapped his arms around me and Kankuro just shook his head. I sighed as I leaned into Gaara's solid frame.

"I suppose I can just tell them the story when they all wake up."

I said and Gaara just hmm'd in response.


	34. Chapter 34

-Fayre-

It's been two months since Raja and Shukaku brought me back. After everyone woke up from their shock they bombarded me with questions. Raja said I could tell Gaara and his siblings the truth, but no one else. So needless to say I told a lot of lies that day. Gaara had managed to clear up the whole funeral that was planned for me with he help of Naruto who had somehow managed to become Hokage after Tsunade's death. Turns out that Pein attacked Konoha after my run in with them. I told Gaara about the child we'd lost and he grieved, but after a while life returned to normal in Suna. Except for the past few weeks I've been really tired and really hungry and there was no reason for it. I just shrugged it off and blamed it on the fact that I had died.

"Where you going Fay?"

Temari asked and I blinked out of my thoughts as I reached the door.

"Oh, just out."

I said trying to get to the door before Gaara came downstairs.

"You're going out to train again aren't you?"

She asked and I froze.

"Don't worry, I'll cover for you."

She said and I smiled at her before leaving and quickly running for my secluded area of the city where I trained. I ducked down an alley and looked both ways before pushing a plank of wood from the fence out of the way and slipping into the little space behind it. I had found it completely by accident. I saw a cat and chased it until it disappeared through the fence. Since then I've been using this place to train so I'd be ready when I next faced Pein. This time, he was going to be the one who died.

I had just finished my training session when I heard someone speak.

"Training again?"

The familiar voice of Kiyomi asked from behind me and I turned to see her jump down from the rooftops and land beside me.

"Hey Kiyomi."

I said as sheathed my katana.

"Hehe, you caught me."

I said as I walked over towards the exit with her following. We slipped through and walked down the streets together.

"It's still hard to believe you're alive. I mean-"

She said and I cut her off with a look.

"Sorry, but I'm just happy you're back."

She said and I smiled at her.

"I'm glad to be back. So, how are things with you and Kanky?"

I asked and she blushed a bright red.

"Fine."

She said and I laughed as we reached the house.

"Whatever."

I said and she stuck her tongue out at me and I did the same as I made my way to the kitchen. I made me some food and sat down at the table to eat, but stopped when I saw Temari, Kankuro, and Kiyomi looking at me wide eyed.

"What?"

I asked with my sandwich halfway to my mouth.

"Are you really going to eat all that?"

Kankuro asked and I looked down at the BLT sandwich in my hand, the loaded baked potato, the salad, and the bag of sour cream and onion chips all laid out on the table infront of me.

"What? I'm hungry."

I defended as I bit into my sandwich. They all laughed at me before going about their own business. I finished my food and made my way silently upstairs. I locked my door and pulled the scrolls and maps out from under my bed. I had been keeping tabs on Pein and the remaining Akatsuki members and knew where they were hiding out, the only thing was I didn't want to go after them by myself, but I knew Gaara wouldn't want me anywhere near them. I sighed as I looked them over one last time before sliding them back under my bed and stuffing them beneath the floorboard so no one would find them by accident.

_'I need to talk to them about it. If I wait much longer then I'll lose them.'_

I thought to myself as I made my way back downstairs. I found Temari, Kankuro, and Kiyomi all sitting on the couch in the living room watching some movie and I sighed to myself.

_'It's now or never, I'll deal with Gaara later.'_

I thought as I walked into the room and cut the T.V off.

"Hey! We were watching that!"

Kankuro yelled but stopped when he saw the look on my face.

"What is it?"

Temari asked and I sighed again as I sat on the arm of the chair facing the couch they were all sitting on.

"Don't flip out, but I want to go after Pein."

I said and their eyes widened in shock, but Temari was the first to speak.

"Are you sure? I mean considering what happened last time."

She said and I looked at her.

"I know, but that's exactly why I want to go after him in the first place. I don't' want him to be able to ever do that to anyone else. And I have the power to make it so he can't. So my question for you guys is this. Are you willing to help me, or am I going to have to go on my own?"

I asked seriously and watched as Temari and Kankuro looked at each other before nodding.

"We'll help you. There's no way in hell we're going to let you go up against that bastard alone."

Kankuro said and I smiled at him.

"I'm coming too. You gave me a chance when no one else would."

Kiyomi said and I smiled at her.

"Thanks guys."

I said and they smiled at me.

"There's just one problem."

Temari said and I looked at her confused.

"Gaara."

She said and I sighed to myself. I knew that, but what could I do about it? He wasn't going to like the idea and I just _knew_ we were going to have a fight about it whenever he got home and I told him. Luckily though, he wasn't due back til late.

"What about Gaara?"

A familiar deep voice asked and we all looked towards the doorway to see Gaara leaning against the doorjam with his arms crossed over his chest and an unhappy look in his teal colored eyes. They settled on me and I had trouble swallowing.

"Gaara, I need to-"

I started, but he cut me off.

"Upstairs."

He said and by the tone of his voice I guess he already heard what Temari, Kankuro, Kiyomi and I had been talking about and he wasn't too happy about it.

I followed him upstairs to his room and silently shut the door after me. I looked at the floor until he said something. I had expected him to yell at me so I was surprised when he spoke so softly.

"When were you going to tell me?"

He asked and I looked up at his face to see hurt in his eyes and I instantly felt bad for not telling him first.

"Because I know you don't want me to go."

I said and his eyes never left mine.

"You're right. I don't want you to go."

He said and I sighed as I pushed away from the door.

"Gaara, I have to go. I can't let him live while I know I have the power to kill him."

I said and he glared at me.

"What makes you suddenly think you have the power to kill him?"

He asked, his voice rising slightly.

"Did you forget everything I told you when I came back? Shukaku and Raja gave me the power before sending me back!"

I yelled at him and he growled.

"I still don't want you to go. Let Kankuro, Temari, Kiyomi and I go instead. We'll take care of it and you can stay here."

He said and I glared at him.

"No. I'm going to kill that bastard myself."

I said and he sighed before walking up to me. I expected a repeat of our last fight, but was surprised when his arms gently wrapped around my waist and one of his hands came up to cup my cheek.

"I don't want to lose you again Fayre."

He said softly as he looked me in the eyes. I could see all the pain and anguish he felt when he'd thought he'd lost me and I sighed as I wrapped my arms around him in return.

"Gaara, you're not going to lose me again."

I said and he was going to argue, but I cut him off.

"I swear to you Gaara, he isn't going to kill me again."

I said and he looked at me skeptically for a minute before finally closing his eyes and sighing. He leaned his forehead against my shoulder and I kissed his temple.

"I promise Gaara, nothing will happen to me this time."

I said and he just tightened his hold around me as if hoping to never have to let me go. I tightened my hold around him and held him close. I knew he didn't like the idea of me facing off against Pein, but at least he was willing to let me do this.

_'Don't worry Gaara, I don't plan on dying again any time soon.'_


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: There may be a part in this chapter that makes many of you think it's really stupid, but I felt like putting it in so I did. Please read and review, extra bonus points if you can accurately name what movie it's also in though I only just now realized it myself. Put it in the review you leave and winner gets a special prize.

* * *

-Fayre-

"Fay, are you sure you're up for this?"

Temari asked and I looked at her before nodding.

"I'm positive. I'm going to kill that bastard."

I said and she nodded before falling silent as we reached the gate. I knew exactly where Pein and the other remaining Akatsuki members were. They had actually gone to the cave where I'd killed Orochimaru and the others. I looked at all the people that were coming with. Kankuro was standing behind Kiyomi with his arms wrapped around her waist. Temari was standing next to Shikamaru, but their hands were laced together. Naruto stood next to Sakura with Hinata in between both of them. And somehow, Kiba got dragged into this as well, but I wasn't complaining. As long as I was able to get a clear shot at Pein I didn't care. I knew the others could handle themselves.

"You guys ready?"

I asked, but I was looking straight at Gaara. He was leaning against the gate with his gourd on his back and his arms crossed over his chest. I could clearly tell he didn't like this plan one bit, but he was willing to bite his tongue so that I could do this. He knew I _had_ to do this and I was going to, with or without him.

"Kiba, Hinata, lead the way."

I said and Akamaru barked when Kiba said 'right' and Hinata nodded before activating her Byakkugan and both led the way out of the city. I followed everyone, but I stayed in the back with Gaara. I laced my hand with his and he turned to look at me as we headed for the cave.

"It's alright Gaara. I promise, I won't leave you this time."

I said, but he didn't say anything. Though I did feel him slightly squeeze my hand.

It took us less time than I'd expected to reach the cave and there were barely any trees to hide in, but there were plenty of sand dunes. We all laid on our stomachs and watched as they switched the guards. I recognized Deydara take Tobi's place. I turned to look at everyone.

"Alright. Itachi is pretty strong, so Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata, you guys think you can handle him?"

I asked and they all nodded.

"Temari, you and Shikamaru should be able to handle Tobi, but be careful. He may seem childish, but he's strong."

I said and they both nodded though Shikamaru started to say this whole thing was nothing but a drag.

"Kankuro, Kiyomi, Deydara's all yours."

I said and saw Kiyomi smirk at me. She had a personal score to settle with him since he was one of the ones that attacked her.

"Gaara, I trust you to handle anyone who gets in my way."

I said and he nodded. If anyone could make sure I got to Pein it was him.

"Kiba, Akamaru, help out where you can, but leave Pein to me."

I said and everyone looked at me.

"He's mine."

I said and they all nodded.

"Alright."

I said as I turned back to the cave.

"Move!"

* * *

-Kankuro-

We all jumped towards the cave when Fayre gave the order. I could feel the bloodlust coming from Gaara, but Fayre seemed to be able to hide hers a little bit better. I was slightly scared of losing my sister again, but I was willing to help her get revenge on Pein and the Akatsuki. I wanted to kill them for what they did to Fayre and to Kiyomi. The others waited until Kiyomi and I had Deydara distracted before running into the cave. This was the same cave that Gaara had lost Shukaku and died in, but Fayre told me herself that she destroyed that machine, but that didn't mean I had to like being here again.

"Hahaha, come back for more girlie?"

I heard Deydara say to Kiyomi and glared at him.

"You're going to pay for what you did to me."

She said and I watched as she pulled out a kunai and charged at him. He was barely able to block her attack before I sent Crow after him. He tried to jump away from the both of us, and I smirked when his eyes widened as he realized he couldn't.

"What the-?"

He started and I flexed my fingers, pulling at the chakra strings surrounding him.

"I am a master puppet ninja, trapping you with my chakra strings was something I could have done in my sleep."

I said and his eyes widened again as Kiyomi and I both advanced on him. He tried struggling, but I just pulled tighter on the strings trapping him until his arms were pinned down at his side.

"This is going to be fun."

Kiyomi said as she spun the kunai in her hand and walked closer to Deydara.

* * *

-Gaara-

I watched as Naruto and the others branched off as soon as we entered the cave. I could sense the other Akatsuki members somewhere inside and realized just how big this cave really was. It wasn't as big as the one where we found Fayre, but it was still pretty big. I heard familiar laughter and turned to see a black haired boy a few years older than me. His eyes were blood red, much like that of someone with the Uchiha's Kekkai Genkai but I could tell he didn't have it. He was a few inches taller than me, but that didn't matter.

"Come back for more pain I see."

He said with a smirk and I growled at him before having my sand come out of my gourd.

"Hahaha, you may have found a way to bring your little bitch back last time, but Pein's going to make sure you can't do that again."

He said as he drew his sword and I waited for his first move.

"This is going to be too easy."

He said before charging at me. My sand blocked his attack and he had to jump back to avoid being caught by it.

"You're pretty cocky. Who are you?"

I asked and he smirked at me.

"I guess I can tell you my name, since you won't live much longer."

He said and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Now was not the time.

"My name is Vincent."

He said with a smirk still plastered on his face.

"Well, Vincent, you picked the wrong day to fight me."

I said before wrapping my sand around his feet to hold him in place before charging at him.

* * *

-Fayre-

I could feel Pein's chakra from somewhere in the cave, but I couldn't find him. I looked around and saw Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura fighting against Itachi. I could heard Kankuro and Kiyomi outside fighting Deydara. Temari, Shikamaru, and Kiba were fighting against Tobi who seemed to always manage to stay out of Shikamaru's range and avoid Temari's attacks, but I smirked when Kiba and Akamaru got him with their claws and Fang over Fang jutsu.

_'Where the fuck is that bastard? There's not really many places he could be hiding.'_

I thought as I continued to look around. I suddenly heard the sound of metal flying through the air behind me and blocked the shuriken that were thrown at me and turned to see they had been thrown by the black haired boy Gaara was fighting.

"Not your smartest move boy."

I said before using my sand to throw them back at him with greater speed. He tried to dodge them, but Gaara's sand held him in place and they sank into the boy's shoulders and stomach.

_'Fine, since Pein wants to hide I'll just fight this guy.'_

I thought before charging at the boy. He managed to get free of Gaara's sand, but wasn't able to move fast enough to dodge my fist. He growled as he stood back up and drew a second sword. I smirked at him before looking at Gaara. He nodded and we both charged at the boy. Me from the left, Gaara from the right. He blocked both of us and just as I was about to move in and hit him again, he spun and slashed Gaara's left arm making him stumble back some. The boy used that to his advantage and started to advance on him, but I ran infront of Gaara and stopped the boy's blade with my forearm.

"Don't _even_ think about it."

I said as I pushed him back, ignoring as the blade of his sword cut deeper into my skin. He stumbled, but glared at me and Gaara before charging at us. I moved to attack, but Gaara beat me to it. I watched as Gaara fought. He dodged the majority of the boy's attacks, but still got nicked by his two swords.

_'I don't want to lose him in this fight and if I am to die while fighting Pein I want to go being his completely.'_

I thought as I watched Gaara's sand shield block one of the swords while the other got through and cut his side. The boy was fast, faster than Lee and Gaara's sand was having a hard time keeping up. Gaara went to hit the boy, but he side stepped him and managed to get behind him and was about to slash his back when I charged at the black haired boy and wrapped my arms around him, pinning his hands to his sides. Gaara turned and stared at me in shock as I restrained the boy.

"Fayre…"

He said and I smiled at him as I struggled to keep the kid's arms pinned down. He was quite the wiggle worm.

* * *

-Gaara-

I turned around and was shocked to see Fayre pinning Vincent's arms down with her own. She smiled at me and I realized that if I were to lose her again without having made her mine completely I'd regret it. I wasn't naïve enough to think nothing would happen in this fight. Vincent slammed his head back into Fayre's and she let him go.

"Fayre!"

I cried and ran to her, but got stopped by Vincent who smirked at me.

"You should worry about yourself."

He said as he charged at me with his swords. I dodged him and used my sand to grab one of them out of his hand and kicked him in the back so he stumbled forward. I turned to Fayre to make sure she was okay. She was bleeding from her forehead, but other than that she was fine.

"Fayre….marry me?"

I said and she suddenly looked up at me in shock.

"W-What?"

She asked and I growled when Vincent decided to charge at us. I blocked his sword with the one in my hand and used my sand to throw him across the cave.

"You heard me."

I said and noticed she blushed but was looking at me like I was insane. Hell, I probably was.

"I don't think now's the best time."

She said as Vincent charged at us again, but before I could react her sand wrapped around his waist and threw him over my head.

"Now may be the only time. If I'm going to lose you again-"

"You're not."

She interrupted but I shook my head at her.

"Yes, but if I _do_, I want to have you mine for all of eternity."

I said and she smiled at me.

"I already am, but okay."

She said and I blinked in surprise.

"What?"

I asked shocked.

"Yes you idiot."

She said with a smile and I couldn't help but smile back at her. Her eyes suddenly widened as she stared over my shoulder.

"Duck!"

She shouted and I did so on instinct. I turned so I could see what was happening and saw her punch Vincent in his nose and he stumbled back with a hand to his face. I stood back up and she suddenly turned to look over her shoulder.

"Naruto!"

She called out and I looked at her confused. Why was she calling his name?

"What!"

He called back while he continued to fight Itachi with Hinata and Sakura.

"Marry us!"

She yelled and everyone stopped for a minute and stared at us in shock before going back to their fights.

"What!"

He called out in shock as he turned to look at us like we were insane.

"You're the only one who can, please!"

She called and I realized what she meant. Naruto had become Hokage, and even though I was the Kazekage of Suna I couldn't very well marry myself off.

"Fine!"

He yelled as he dodged a shuriken from Itachi.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today….um….what comes after that?"

He asked as he blocked Itachi from attacking Hinata.

_'I forgot, Naruto's an idiot.'_

I thought as I turned to look at Fayre.

"Do you, Fayre take me to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, though sickness and health, until the day you die?"

I asked and we both jumped away from each other as Vincent charged at us, making him stumble and lose his balance.

"I do."

She said as I ran over to her.

"Do you, Gaara no Sabaku take me to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, through sickness and health, until the day you die?"

She asked with a smile and I couldn't help but return it despite the situation we were in.

"I do."

I said and her smile widened.

"Great."

She said and I shook my head at her.

"By the power invested in me by the late Lady Tsunade as the sixth Hokage of Konoha…."

Naruto said as he dodged another attack from Itachi.

"I now pronounce-"

He said, but got cut off as Sakura was knocked back and he had to catch her. Fayre ducked as Vincent tried to hit her and I stabbed him in the shoulder with a kunai making him jump back.

"I now pronounce you-"

Naruto tried again only to have to stop and jump away from Itachi with Hinata in his arms.

"Aw fuck, just kiss her already!"

He cried out and I smiled at him before wrapping my arms around Fayre's waist and pulling her to me as I kissed her for the first time as husband and wife.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?"

Fayre and I pulled apart at the sound of Pein's voice. We turned to see him standing on a rock a few feet away from us and the others fighting.

"Now it'll hurt twice as much when I kill you."

He said, smiling at Fayre who growled at him. I moved to take a step forward, but was suddenly knocked forward. I turned to see Vincent had tackled me to the ground. I growled at him and used my sand to wrap around him as I grabbed one of the kunai in his stomach and pulled it out. He cried out and I punched him in the side of his face making him get off me. I got to my feet and looked up to see Fayre and Pein already engaged in a fight.

"You should pay more attention to your enemies."

Vincent said from beside me and I turned just in time for him to stab me in the leg with a kunai. I clenched my teeth together and growled at him as I wrapped my sand around his waist and threw him against the cave wall. He gasped on impact, but I used my sand to keep him pinned to the wall so he couldn't move.

"And you should learn when to quit."

I said as I moved towards him. Fayre could handle herself, she just had to.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Hurray for this chapter and you guys will see why. Read and review! You guys still have to guess where that part from the last chapter was from. No updates till someone guesses correctly. Come on, it's not really that hard. Review!

* * *

-Fayre-

I was so happy until Pein had to ruin it. Then again, I suppose having a wedding in the middle of battle probably wasn't the best idea, but still. It's my wedding, what girl won't be pissed at having that interrupted?

"I don't know how you managed to come back, but I can guarantee you won't be coming back a second time."

Pein said as he pulled out a kunai and held it in his hand.

"You're right, there won't be a second time because _you're_ going to be the one dying this time."

I said before drawing my sai and twirling them in my hands. I'm not exactly sure what kind of power Raja and Shukaku gave me, or how to use it, but I'm sure I'll know when it comes down to it.

"In your dreams."

Pein said before charging at me. I smirked and waited. I blocked his kunai with ease and kicked him in the stomach making him stumble back. I quickly side stepped and spun as I slashed him in the side. He cursed and jumped away from me.

"So you've gotten a little bit better since last time."

He said as he held a hand to his side.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're going to die."

He said before charging at me again. I scoffed at him as I easily dodged each of his attacks. I'm not certain, but maybe what Raja and Shukaku gave me just enhanced the skills I already had because the first time I fought against Pein I was barely able to get near him, let alone actually hurt him and I wasn't able to dodge his attacks. Whatever it was that they gave me, I was going to use it to it's full extent.

Pein tried to jump away from me to dodge my attack, but I used my sand to wrap around his ankle and pulled him to the ground. He tried to get away, but I sent my sand further up his leg. He moved to jump and I used the jutsu Gaara had taught me and crushed the bone in Pein's leg. He cried out in pain which caused the other Akatsuki members to pause in their fights and look at him.

"Fayre! Look out!"

I heard Kiba shout from behind me and heard the shuriken being thrown my way. I used my sand to block it and threw it straight back at Tobi, sending one straight through his chest making him fall to the ground where Temari, Shikamaru, and Kiba attacked him.

"You…."

Pein said and I looked back at him to see him scooting away from me.

"How did you get so strong?"

He asked and I glared at him as I saw his hand move to the pouch on his side. I jumped back just as he threw a couple kunai at me. I grabbed the one closest to my face and flicked it back at him, pinning his hand down much like he'd done to me before. He cried out again and I smirked at him as I got closer to him. He started to sign with his other hand and before I could react one of the giant pillars from before slammed into the ground mere inches from where I was and I had to jump back to avoid being hit.

"Fayre!"

I heard Gaara shout, but I glared at him making him stop in his tracks.

"He's mine, stay back."

I said and he looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't. I turned back to Pein who was glaring up at me and trying to sign again.

"You should know better than to underestimate your opponents Pein."  
I said, repeating the exact same thing he'd said to me during our fight when he'd injured my side. Another pillar slammed into the ground a couple inches away from me, but this time I didn't jump back. I simply moved an inch to the side.

"Itachi!"

Pein cried out and I smirked at him as he called out for help. To think, barely even a month ago this man killed me.

"Fayre!"

I heard Gaara's voice again and turned at the fear in it and as I did so I saw the six shuriken coming my way and didn't have time to bring my shield up. I waited for the pain of the shuriken embedding themselves into my back, but it never came. I opened my eyes to see my sand had blocked it, but I hadn't controlled it. I watched as my sand threw the shuriken back at Itachi and pinned him to the wall of the cave.

"Okay, _that_ I didn't do."

I said as I saw Itachi's eyes widen in shock before his head fell forward and he hung there dead.

* * *

-Gaara-

Fayre was distracted by Pein and didn't see the shuriken being thrown at her. I called out her name, but she turned too late to react though thankfully her sand blocked them. I watched as she threw them back at Itachi, killing him as they pinned him to the wall.

"Okay, _that_ I didn't do."

She said and I turned to look at her confused.

_'What does she mean she didn't do that? I just saw her throw them back at him.'_

I thought, but from the look on her face I could see she was just as confused as I was. It was then that Pein yanked the kunai out of his hand and charged at Fayre, planning to stab her in the stomach, but his attack was blocked by sand and Fayre's eyes widened as she turned back to look at her opponent as he was thrown against the wall of the cave.

"I didn't do _that_ either!"

She called out and I could hear the slight panic in her voice. She was freaked out about her sand acting on its own accord. It was then that I sensed a different chakra mixed in with the sand crawling along the floor around Fayre's feet. It wasn't her chakra. Well it was, but it wasn't just hers alone. It was a mix of both of our chakras. My eyes widened as I realized what it was and I found I had trouble breathing.

_'She's…..Fayre's pregnant!'_

I thought as I felt the same kind of chakra mixed in with the sand flare from her abdomen. I looked at Fayre's face and saw her eyes had widened and she was looking down at her stomach.

_'Looks like she just now noticed.'_

I thought as I saw her look from her stomach to me with disbelief clear in her turquoise colored eyes.

"This isn't over yet!"

Pein called as he charged at Fayre. She turned to look at him and she jumped out of the way of his attack and crouched down as she dropped her said and drew her katana. I saw her eyes narrow as she looked at Pein and could see determination on her face. She was no longer protecting her life, but the life of our child as well.

* * *

-Fayre-

When I felt the flare of chakra coming from my abdomen I couldn't believe it. I thought Raja and Shukaku said I'd lost the child, but the chakra I felt just now was proof that I hadn't though it was stronger than the last time it flared in my last battle with Pein. I looked from my stomach over to Gaara who was staring at me. He'd obviously felt the flare of chakra and from the look on his face I could tell he knew as well, but I still couldn't believe it.

"This isn't over yet!"

I heard Pein call and turned to see him charging at me. I growled as I jumped out of his way and crouched low to the ground. I glared at him as I let my sai fall to the ground and drew my katana. I was better with it anyway. I glared at him as he turned to face me. I was definitely not going to die now, I wasn't only living for me I was living for mine and Gaara's child and _this_ time I wasn't going to die.

Pein charged at me again as he signed the same hand sign for the pillars he'd attacked me with before. I waited until he was close enough before charging at him. I dashed under a falling pillar and rammed my katana under Pein's hands that were still clasped together in his hand sign and pulled up as that it pierced through his heart. He stopped and his eyes widened as he looked at me. He coughed and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. I twisted the blade in my hand and he coughed again as he fell to his knees.

"H-How…?"

He asked as he stared up at me. I just glared at him as I tightened my grip on the hilt of my katana before I looked Pein in the eyes.

"Because I found something to live and fight for."

I said before pulling on my katana and yanking it out of his chest. I heard him struggle to breathe before he fell to the floor and his blood pooled around him. I sighed a breath of relief and let my arms fall to my sides and my katana fall from my hand. I suddenly felt really really tired.

"Careful."

I heard someone say as I felt arms wrap around me as I started to fall. I looked up to see Gaara.

"It survived."

I said and he looked at me confused.

"Our baby, it survived."

I said with a smile and saw him return it before things started to get blurry. I felt a pain in my stomach and flinched, but couldn't do anything as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"Fayre! Fayre, what's wrong? Fayre!"

I heard Gaara's voice, but it seemed like it was muffled as my eyes started to close.

"Fayre!"

I heard him call my name one last time before my eyes closed completely and the darkness took over.

* * *

-Gaara-

I stared at Fayre as her eyes closed and she went limp in my arms.

"Fayre!"

I called out and looked up when I felt Sakura's chakra coming over towards us. She pressed her hand to Fayre's neck and smiled at me.

"Relax, she's just sleeping."

She said and I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked around and saw that the others had managed to kill the rest of the Akatsuki members and were making their way over towards us. I lifted Fayre's up bridal style as I stood up. Her head fell against my chest and I could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

I said and they all nodded as we headed out of the cave. I saw Kankuro turn towards us just as Kiyomi killed Deydara.

"Is she alright!"

He asked when he saw Fayre in my arms.

"She's fine, she's just sleeping."

Sakura said and he nodded.

"I guess that fight really took a lot out of her."

Temari said as we all ran towards Suna.

"Yeah."

I said and smiled down at the woman in my arms.

"Hey Gaara, why don't you guys have an actual ceremony when she wakes up?"

Naruto suggested and I looked at him confused for a minute before I remembered mine and Fayre's short little wedding ceremony from earlier.

"Yeah, and this time you can actually propose to her with a ring."

Kankuro said and I smiled as I looked at Fayre's sleeping face.

"Sure."

I said and we all fell into silence as we got back to Suna. Naruto and the others started to head to a hotel, but Temari invited them to stay in the empty guest rooms in our house and she led the way with Shikamaru and the rest of us in tow. Once inside, everyone went to different rooms and I headed upstairs for mine. I gently laid Fayre down on my bed and pulled my gourd off my back as Temari came into the room.

"She did it."

She said in a soft whisper and I turned to look at her to see she had a smile on her face as she looked at Fayre asleep on my bed.

"She killed him and came back alive."

She said and I couldn't help but smile as I sat on the bed next to Fayre.

"Yeah."

I said softly and heard Temari leave. I shut the door with my sand before laying down behind Fayre and wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her closer to me. She'd survived the fight and she was going to give me a child. I couldn't help but smile at the thought as I buried my face in her hair and close my eyes.


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: To let you guys know, this story is pretty close to reaching it's end. I've had a blast writing this and reading all the reviews and I'm so grateful to al of you for sticking with me thus far. Though I am a little sad right now because my dad's in the hospital with a deadly form of staph infection calle MRSA and goes into surgery tomorrow. So I've turned to the one outlet I have for emotions, writing. Please read and review and keep my dad in your thoughts cause I know he'll be in mine. Much love,

-Kit

* * *

-Fayre-

I groaned as I opened my eyes. I tried to roll over, but stopped when I felt someone's arm around my waist. I could feel Gaara's even breathing on the back of my neck and smiled before lacing my fingers with his and going back to sleep. We'd won and we were both alive.

I opened my eyes again some time later and frowned when I noticed I was alone in bed. I sat up and looked around. I could see the moon was out and the window was open. I could feel the chakras of several other people in the house. I could tell that Naruto and the others were in the other guest rooms and smiled. We'd all made it out. I didn't sense Gaara anywhere inside the house so I searched for his chakra and smiled when I sensed he was on the roof. I got to my feet and silently climbed up to the roof. I saw him sitting in his usual spot and silently laughed to myself as I walked over to him.

"You're awake."

He said turning to look at me and I nodded.

"Yeah."

I said as I looked up at the moon. I just realized it was a full moon. I looked at the vast expanse of the desert bathed in the moon's light and couldn't help but be in awe.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

I asked, still staring out at the desert.

"Yes, you are."

Gaara said and I turned to look at him and blushed as he got to his feet and looked me in the eye.

"Where'd you go? I woke up and you weren't there."

I said and he smiled at me apologetically.

"Sorry, but I had something really important I had to get."

He said and I looked at him confused.

"What was so important that you had to-"

I stopped as I saw him get down on one knee and pull something out of the sash around his waist. He took one of my hands and I smiled down at him.

"Didn't we already do this once?"

I asked and he smiled up at me.

"Yeah, but we didn't do it properly."

He said and I couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Fayre, will you marry me?"

He asked as he opened the small black box in his hand. I gasped when I saw the ring. It was a silver banded ring with a small cut garnet set in the middle with a mix of turquoise and teal colored diamonds surrounding it.

"You already know the answer to that question you dope."

I said with a smile, but he still waited for me to answer him.

"Of course I will."

I said and he smiled at me as he took the ring out of the box and slid it onto my finger. He stood up and wrapped his arms around my waist as I slid my arms around his neck and pulled him close to me.

"Good, I thought you might have changed your mind now that we're not in the middle of a battle."

He said and I frowned at him.

"Gaara, you're the only person in the world that I would ever want to be with from now on until the rest of eternity. You should know that."

I said and before he could say anything in response I leaned up and kissed him. I felt him smile against my lips before he kissed me back. We pulled apart and he smiled down at me and laughed when I yawned.

"You should go back to bed."

He said and I frowned.

"Not without you I'm not."

I said and he chuckled before I saw his sand swirl around us and we were suddenly back in his room. He released my waist and I climbed into bed and turned to him when he didn't immediately join me. I smiled as I saw him pull his shirt up over his head and let it fall to the floor before climbing onto the bed behind me and draping his arm over my side. I laced my fingers with him and smiled when I felt him bury his face into the crook of my neck before closing my eyes and going back to sleep.

* * *

**-TWO DAYS LATER-**

* * *

-Temari-

"Come on, come on, come on!"

I said as I pulled on Shikamaru's arm trying to pull him down the hall of the Kazekage building to Gaara's office. Everyone had spent the first day resting, then the second one was spent getting ready for Gaara and Fayre's wedding. It had been decided that they'd have a public ceremony so that all of Suna could see as well as all of their friends.

"Hurry up Shika."

I whined and heard him sigh.

"This is such a drag."

He said in response as I hauled him into the room. Everyone turned to look at us with excited looks on their faces.

"Relax, it's just us."

I said and they all sighed and looked away. It had been a pain to get Shikamaru into a tux, but he looked really good in it. I looked around and saw Naruto, Kiba, Gaara, and even Kankuro in similar tuxes. Hinata was in a lilac colored dress much like her eyes. Sakura was in a pink dress trimmed in dark green. Kiyomi was in a lavender colored dress and I was in a dark blue kimono-dress. Naruto was wearing a tux that was a little fancier than Kiba's and Shikamaru's, but they were all had Konoha's colors. Kankuro was wearing a Suna colored tux as was Gaara, though his was slightly more detailed considering he was the Kazekage. I looked over at Kiyomi and she looked at me before nodding. We both left the room and headed for the room next door where Fayre was.

"You ready?"

I asked as Kiyomi opened the door.

"Yeah."

Fayre said as she stepped out. She was wearing a pure white kimono that hugged her barely expanded waist, you wouldn't be able to tell she was pregnant unless she wore clothes like this all the time. No one else could tell a difference, but I could. It was trimmed in a dark red and had a red sash that wrapped snugly around her waist. Her hair was pulled back and bits of it hang down to frame her face. She looked gorgeous.

"Come on then, everyone's waiting."

Kiyomi said as she held out her arm. Fayre smiled from behind her veil before hooking arms with Kiyomi and me, then we all headed back towards Gaara's office. Kiyomi and I both were Fayre's maids of honor.

We opened the door to Gaara's office and everyone turned to look at us. Kiyomi and I smiled at everyone as we walked Fayre across the room until she stood behind Gaara who turned and held out his hand. Kiyomi and I smiled at her before we each let go of her arm and walked over to our own men. She took Gaara's hand and stepped up until she stood next to him and they both turned to look at Naruto who was going to wed them, properly this time.

"Villagers of Suna!"

He cried out and they all fell silent and looked up at all of us on the balcony.

"Your Kazekage has chosen his bride and today we celebrate their union!"

He called in a surprisingly authoritative voice. What was even more surprising was the fact that he actually sounded like he knew what he was doing. He turned to look at Gaara and Fayre with a goofy smile on his face.

"You two have been through a lot to find each other and be able to stand where you do today."

He said and I could feel both of their chakras were full of nothing but happiness.

"You two specified that you wanted to exchange your own vows, yes?"

He asked and they both nodded. He motioned for them to do so and they turned to face each other.

"Fayre…."

Gaara said and I couldn't help but smile at the fact that my baby brother was getting married.

* * *

-Fayre-

I stared up at Gaara as he said my name. He reached out and moved my veil out of my face so he could look me in the eye before he continued.

"You know better than anyone that I wasn't….that I'm _not _the best at expressing my emotions and how I feel. For the longest time I'd thought that my only reason in living was to kill, but I met people, people I call friends, who changed me and because of that I was able to meet you as the man I am today. But even then….even then I was still hesitant to show my emotions. When I learned you were like me, with a similar past….it made it easier to be honest with you. Easier to connect with you."

He said and I couldn't help but smile at him. Even now I could tell he was having trouble expressing himself, especially with all of Suna watching, but he was and it was all because of me.

"I found myself wanting to be….closer to you the more I learned about you. Before I even knew it, I'd fallen in love with you and you showed me just how….wonderful something like that could be. I hope that I can return the favor and continue to….stay with you and love you until the day that I breath my last breath."

He said and I couldn't help the tears that threatened to spill over at his words.

"I love you Fayre, and I always will. Whether we're healthy or sick. In the good times and the bad. No matter what happens, I promise to always love you."

He said and I couldn't help it anymore, the tears spilled over at his words as he slid my ring onto my finger. He smiled at me as he lifted his hand up to my face and brushed them away as soon as they fell. Naruto turned to me, signaling that it was my turn and I couldn't help but feel that it was no fair that Gaara said something so touching, so heartfelt, and I didn't really know what to say. But one look in his teal colored eyes and I just said the first thing that came to my mind.

"It wasn't easy for me to trust anyone with the truth, especially about my past and who I am, but I'm glad….I'm glad I was able to find someone like you to be able to share that with. To share my past and not be judged. To share who and what I was and not be looked at as some kind of monster. I understood you as you did me and I'm forever grateful that I found someone I could trust in you and in time, I found someone to love. It was easier to open up to you than I would have ever thought possible and just like you, before I knew it, I'd fallen in love with you. But it was much more than just that. I found much more than just someone to love me when I met you. I found someone who understood my pain and my suffering. Someone who was my friend and my strength when I had none. Someone was willing to risk their life to save my own. When I met you Gaara, I finally found someone to spend my life with. Not just the good, but both the good _and_ the bad. I never would have thought I'd be lucky enough to find someone like you, but I'm glad I did. You've shown me such love that I can only hope that I can return it. In both sickness and in health. During both the good times and the bad. No matter what happens to me I will always love you. I will love you until the day I draw my last breath and beyond."

I said as I slid his ring onto his finger and saw him smile at me. I could hear Sakura and Hinata crying as well as some of the people from the crowd of civilians down below.

"Right. By the powers invested in me as the sixth Hokage of Konoha, you may kiss the bride."

Naruto said and I felt Gaara wrap his arms around my waist and pull me flush against him and I blushed a bit before he pressed his lips down against mine. I smiled against his lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair as I pulled him closer to deepen the kiss.

"Villagers of Suna!"

Naruto cried out and I pulled away from Gaara to breathe.

"I present to you your Kazekage and your Kazehime!"

Naruto cried out as he moved back so they could see Gaara and me and cheers erupted from the villagers. We both waved at them before we turned around and walked back into Gaara's office with the others following. As soon as everyone was inside Gaara shut the windows to the balcony with his sand and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him.

"Congratulations you guys."

Kiyomi said and I smiled as I stared up at Gaara who was staring directly into my eyes.

"Riiight. Well, we'll jus-"

I heard Kankuro start to say, but I didn't hear the rest of what he was going to say because Gaara's sand suddenly surrounded us and when it fell away we were already back at the house in Gaara's room. I blushed when I saw the heated look in his eyes, but couldn't deny the fact that I felt the same way. And besides, what was a marriage if it wasn't properly consummated?


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Just because I absolutely _suck_ at pregnancies I will warn you now of a lot of time skipages. You've been warned, so….yeah. Read and review! The story's almost over! If you haven't reviewed yet, now's the time to do so. Also, the winner of the prize was none other than Valerie Michaelis. You guessed correctly which Pirates of the Carribean movie that part of the story was from. And it was At World's End, some were close, but Valerie got it right. So Valerie, you will see your prize when you read this chapter. Hope you like it. To everyone else, please read and review!

* * *

**-ONE MONTH LATER-**

* * *

-Fayre-

I sighed as I looked down at my stomach. I was starting to show although I shouldn't be for about another month or so.

"Is everything alright Fayre?"

I heard Kiyomi ask and looked up from my place on the couch to see her walk in and sit down next to me. Her and Kankuro had gotten married a weeks after Gaara and I did.

"Yeah, I just want to know why I'm showing so early. Normally you don't start to show till around three and a half or four months."

I said and she shrugged.

"I don't know what to tell you, I'm no doctor. If you want to know, then maybe you should set up an appointment with the doctor or have Sakura come over and check you out."

She said and I smiled at the thought of having someone I _knew_ check me out.

"I think that's a good idea. Think you could send a falcon to send for her?"

I asked and Kiyomi nodded as she got to her feet and left. Even with a falcon going, it would still take at least three days for Sakura to get here.

_'Maybe I **should** go to a doctor here. It couldn't hurt. Besides, Doctor Shilas Senior should be there and he's the only doctor at the hospital that I trust.'_

I thought with a sigh before getting to my feet. On my way down the street I saw Temari and she opted to go with me since she knew how much I disliked hospitals. Her and Shikamaru were engaged, but weren't goin to have the wedding until the spring since it was Temari's favorite season, plus she wanted me to have already had mine and Gaara's child before their wedding. Just to make sure I didn't go into labor during the ceremony, thought that would be funny as well as one hell of a wedding present.

"Ah, Kazehime, Lady Temari. How can I help you today?"

One of the nurses behind the counter asked and I frowned.

_'Is it really so hard to just call me by my name?'_

I wondered to myself as Temari told her I wanted to see Dr. Shilas Senior. He had a son who was practicing to be a doctor as well, but for some reason I just didn't trust him like I did Dr. Shilas.

It didn't take long before we were showed to a room and Dr. Shilas walked in, and much to my chagrin his son as well.

"Good afternoon Fayre. What brings you here?"

Shilas Senior asked and I smiled at him.

"I just wanted you to do a check up. I was curious as to why I was showing so early and wanted to make sure everything was alright."

I said and he nodded as he rolled his chair over to me after I'd sat down on the hospital bed. He used his stethoscope on my stomach and smiled as he pulled back.

"Your baby's heartbeat sounds healthy, but I need to draw some blood so I can run some tests."

He said and I nodded until he moved back and his son started to walk forward with a syringe in his hand. He tried to get close to me, but I blocked him with my sand.

"Kazehime, I need to get close to you in order to draw blood."

He said but I frowned and shook my head at him.

"No."

I said and he frowned at me.

"Kazehime, please."

He said as he tried to take another step towards me, but I blocked him with my sand again and used it to get the syringe out of his hand and hold it high up in the air.

"No!"

I said firmly and heard Temari laugh as Dr. Shilas sighed.

"Dad, looks like she won't let me do it like usual."

He said and I saw Dr. Shilas Senior shake his head as he rolled the chair back over to me.

"Still as stubborn as always Fayre."

He said, but I could see the smile on his old face. He held out his hand, palm up and I gently placed the syringe in his hand. I smiled at him as he took my blood and stood up.

"Alright. It shouldn't take longer than a minute or two. I'll be right back."

He said before he and his son left.

"You are so weird. The only two people you _ever_ let put a needle in you is Dr. Shilas Senior and Sakura. Why is that?"

Temari asked with a laugh and I shrugged as I turned to look at her, crossing one leg over the other on the hospital bed while the other hung over the edge.

"I don't know. I just feel like I cant rust Dr. Shilas and Sakura is my friend so I know I cant trust her."

I said with a shrug and Temari just shook her head at me.

"What are you going to do when he retires?"

She asked and I frowned.

"Stop coming to the doctor."

I said seriously and she laughed at me as the door opened and Dr. Shilas Senior came back in, thankfully this time he was by himself.

"Well, this is quite interesting."

He said as he leaned against the counter.

"What is?"

I asked slightly worried and he smiled at me over his clipboard that held my blood results.

"But it explains why you're showing faster than normal."

He said and I frowned at him.

"Why?"

I asked, slightly impatient and he laughed at me.

"I must say congratulations once again Fayre, it looks like you're going to have twins."

He said and my jaw dropped.

_'What!'_

I thought in shock.

"What!"

Temari asked, voicing my thoughts exactly.

"Fayre's going to have twins, though it's too early to tell what the gender they are both very healthy."

He said and I slowly regained my composure.

"T-Thank you."

I said as I slowly got to my feet.

"Come back next month for another check up or you can have your friend Sakura check you out. I know how you are about your doctors."

He said with a chuckle and I nodded numbly as Temari led me out of the hospital.

_'Twins? I wasn't expecting that.'_

I thought as we made out way back to the house. Temari helped me to the couch before excusing herself and going to the house she and Shikamaru had moved into. Shortly after that Gaara came home.

"Fayre? Are you okay?"

He asked and I looked up at him in shock.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

I asked and he smiled at me as he sat next to me on the couch and pushed my hair behind my ear.

"You seem spaced out. Is everything okay?"

He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah."

I said and heard him breath a sigh of relief.

"That's good. For a minute you scared me."

He said and I nodded before turning to look at him.

"Hey Gaara….?"

I asked and he looked at me, waiting for me to continue.

"How do you feel about twins?"

I asked and his eyes widened before he fell back against the couch. I turned to see he had fainted and I laughed a bit to myself. The fact that he was going to be a father to just _one_ child had gotten him extremely happy yet stressed at the same time. I guess the fact that we were going to have _two_ was too much for him.

"That's how I feel."

I said then smiled before looking down at my stomach.

"I guess that just means we're more blessed than we thought."

I said as I gently put a hand on my stomach and leaning back against the couch.

* * *

**-THREE MONTHS LATER-**

* * *

-Sakura-

I looked up from the medical books I'd been studying when I heard a knock on my door.

"Yes?"

I asked and the door opened to reveal Kankuro.

"Fayre says she wants to see you."

He said and I nodded as I got to my feet and followed him out of my room. I'd decided to stay with them until Fayre went into labor since I was the only other person aside from Dr. Shilas Senior that she trusted. Kankuro led me to Fayre's room and I saw her sitting up on her bed.

"What's up Fay? Is it your stomach again?"

I asked and she nodded. I walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her stomach and frowned. I could feel the babies' chakra and it was going a little wild. I tried to calm it down with my healing chakra, but frowned when that only seemed to make it worse and Fayre's breath hitched in pain.

"Kankuro, go get Gaara."

I said and he nodded before running off to get Gaara.

"It's alright Fay, Gaara will be here soon. He should be able to get the babies to calm down. They're just getting a little restless is all."

I said as I knelt sat down next to her.

"Are you getting enough rest?"

I asked and frowned when she shook her head.

"No, I haven't been able to get much sleep lately."

She said and I sighed.

"If you don't get enough rest then your babies will be restless like now."

I said and she nodded, but tensed up when the babies' chakra flared again.

Just when I was about to yell for someone to come help there was a whirl of sand and Gaara was instantly infront of Fayre.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

He asked concerned and I looked at him.

"The babies are just restless, but I can't get them to calm down."

I said and he looked at me slightly panicked.

"What do I do?"

He asked and I simply grabbed his hand and placed it where mine had been.

"Just send a little bit of your chakra to them to calm them down. Not much, just enough to let them know everything's alright."

I said and watched as he knelt down on one knee and focused his chakra to his hand and I noticed Fayre relaxed almost instantly. She smiled down at him and he returned it. I smiled at the two of them before heading out the door and going back to my room. It was sweet seeing Gaara being so caring compared to how he used to be when I first met him. Fayre really _has_ been a good influence on him, thought Naruto and us have helped some too.

When I got back to my room I noticed an scroll on my desk and walked over to it and noticed it was from Naruto. I opened it and read over it. I smiled when I realized it was a mission to another village to help the wounded from a battle, then frowned when I realized that meant I had to leave Fayre.

_'Naruto thinks I'm the only one who can help them, but I don't want to leave Fay.'_

I thought, then sighed. Naruto was the Hokage, and despite him being an idiot sometimes, when it came to missions like this he knew what he was doing. I quickly signed my name at the bottom of the scroll saying I accepted before attaching it to a falcon and sending it back to Konoha before packing my things. I was to leave in four days, but he wanted me back in Konoha before going. I sighed as I finished packing before leaving a note for Temari and them, then left.

_'I just hope Fayre will be okay without me.'_

I thought as I made my way back to Konoha.

* * *

**-TWO MONTHS LATER-**

* * *

-Fayre-

I looked down at my stomach as I sat at the kitchen table. It was HUGE.

_'Considering I'm carrying twins I shouldn't be this big should I?'_

I wondered before I looked up when someone placed a plate with food infront of me. I smiled up at Temari before taking a piece of bacon and nibbling on it. Extremely thankful that Hinata had taught her how to cook.

"Morning."

I heard Gaara say and turned and smiled at him as he walked into the room. He walked over to me and leaned over and kissed me before snagging a piece of my bacon as he pulled away.

"Hey, that's mine."

I pouted and he just smirked at me.

"Learn to share."

He teased and I rolled my eyes at him.

"At least _I_ didn't faint when I found out we were having twins."

I said under my breath, but the fact that he started choking on his piece of bacon told me he'd heard me.

"Are you alright Gaara?"

Kankuro asked from his place across from me and Gaara nodded as he got some water and I just smirked and reached for a piece of toast.

"Have you guys picked out names yet?"

Kiyomi asked as she came into the room and sat next to Kankuro.

"No. We were gonna wait until we saw what they looked like."

I said and she nodded in understanding. I got up to take my now empty plate to the sink when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my abdomen and the plate slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor making everyone turn to look at me.

"Fayre, are you okay?"

Gaara asked, right by my side.

"I…I don't know."

I said truthfully, but squeezed my eyes shut when I felt another pain shoot through my body.

"What's wrong?"

Temari asked.

"I just feel-ah!"

I cried out and a hand shot to my stomach.

"Fayre!"

I heard Gaara shout and looked up at him and the others to see Temari and Kiyomi looking at the ground. Gaara and I followed their eyes to see I was standing in a puddle of water.

"What the…?"

I heard Kiyomi say confused.

"Her water just broke."

Temari said as she ran out of the room. I heard her talking, probably to the hospital to tell them what was going on.

"But she's not due for another month!"

Kiyomi shouted and I cried out as another pain shot through my body.

"Why don't you tell them that."

I said as I grabbed Gaara's hand.

"Gaara….hospital."

I said through clenched teeth and he nodded before his sand wrapped around us. I heard more than saw we were in the hospital since I squeezed my eyes shut when another pain hit.

"This way, we have a room ready for her."

I heard a nurse say and felt Gaara pick me up and carry me somewhere. I felt a bed beneath me and opened my eyes to see I was in a room with several nurses. They took my blood pressure and other things before turning to Gaara who looked really worried.

"You're wife has gone into early labor. The doctor will be here soon."

They said before two left to go find a doctor.

"Gaara…"

I moaned as another contraction hit. He was by my side in an instant.

"It's okay, they went to get a doctor."

He said soothingly and I nodded before tightening my grip on his hand as another contraction hit, closer than the last.

"Okay. How close are the contractions?"

I heard a familiar unwanted voice and looked up to see Dr. Shilas Jr. walk into the room and sit at the foot of the hospital bed.

_'Oh hell no. He is **not** going to be the one to birth my kids.'_

I thought before trying to get away from him.

"Fayre, calm down. What's the matter?"

Gaara asked trying to get me to calm down, but I ignored him and used my sand to put a wall between me and Dr. Shilas Jr.

"He's here to help. Fayre."

Gaara said and I could hear the confusion in his voice at my reaction.

"Not him."

I said and he looked at me weird.

"Not him! He's not going to deliver my babies!"

I cried out because at that moment another contraction hit.

"Kazehime, we don't have time for this. You've already gone into labor."

Dr. Shilas Jr. said and I screamed as he tried to get closer.

"No!"

I cried out and used my sand to make a dome around me and Gaara.

"Fayre, he's trying to help."

He said, but I shook my head.

"No. The only one I'm letting deliver our children is Dr. Shilas."

I said and Gaara looked at me confused.

"He's right outside."

He said and I shook my head and cried out as another contraction hit.

"No. Dr. Shilas _Senior!"_

I shouted and heard Gaara sigh before he stepped out of my sand dome. I heard muffled talking and felt the nurses leave. I screamed when I felt something start to push itself out of me between my legs. Then I heard his voice.

"Fayre. Fayre, I can't help you if you don't lower your sand dome."

He said and I lowered my sand dome to see Dr. Shilas Senior sitting where his son had just been.

"Thank God."

I breathed before I cried out.

"Okay, just take a deep breath. Your first one seems to already be making its way out."

I heard him say and Gaara came back to my side.

"Alright. Breathe and….push!"

He said and I did so as I grabbed Gaara's hand. I heard the cry of a small child and looked up at Dr. Shilas to see him holding a small little baby.

"It's a girl."

He said and I smiled before I felt another contraction.

"Oh, here's the second one. Okay Fayre, push!"

He said and I cried out as I did what he said. There was another cry and I was too tired to open my eyes.

"It's a boy."

He said and I smiled tiredly and slowly released my grip on Gaara's hand before another pain shot through my body and I cried out.

"Looks like we're not done here."

He said and I screamed.

* * *

-Gaara-

I turned and looked at Fayre in complete awe as I laid next to her with two of our sons in my arms while our third son and our only daughter were laying between us. It was a shock when Dr. Shilas said we weren't done and Fayre pushed out two more before she collapsed.

_'Quads.'_

I thought with a smile.

_'Who would have thought?'_

I wondered to myself as I looked at our four sleeping children. The girl was the oldest, but not by much. It was going to be entertaining to watch the boys try and protect her since she's the only girl.

I heard Fayre groan in her sleep and looked over to see her eyes open and look around.

"Hey there."

I said softly and she looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey."

She said sleepily and I couldn't help but smile at her. Hearing her scream like that was unbearable, but seeing the four children she brought into this world was something of a miracle.

"Quads."

She said and I looked at her to see her smiling at our daughter and one of our sons as she picked them up.

"What do you want to name them?"

She asked and I smiled at her.

"The girl…"

She said and I looked down at our daughter.

"Should be called Ruth."

She said and I smiled at the fact our daughter moved in her sleep to that.

"Ruth is perfect."

I said and Fayre smiled at me.

"And our second born?"

I asked, pointing to the little baby boy she held in her other arm.

"Lucas."

She said and he whined a bit making us laugh.

"Seems like they respond to their names even in their sleep."

I said and she smiled before leaning her head on my shoulder.

"What about those two?"

She asked before yawning.

"I like the name Aaron."

I said and noticed that our third born decided to turn his head towards us.

"I like it. What about our last one?"

She asked and I could tell she was barely staying awake and smiled.

"You choose."

I said softly.

"How 'bout Koori?"

I asked and the little boy in my arms squirmed a bit before going back to sleep.

"Koori."

Fayre said softly before I heard her breathing even out and I could tell she'd fallen asleep again. I smiled as I leaned my head against hers and closed my eyes.


	39. Epilogue

**-SEVEN YEARS LATER-**

-Fayre-

I couldn't help but smile as I saw Ruth and the others run outside to play. Temari and Shikamaru had twins, a boy named Maru and a girl named Mari. Both had blonde hair like Temari, but both had their father's eyes. Kankuro and Kiyomi had a little girl named Kana who's the spitting image of Kiyomi, but loves puppets like Kankuro. Naruto and Hinata wound up with three little ones, all girls much to Hinata's delight. Their oldest, Helen, has blonde hair to her shoulders and lilac colored eyes like Hinata. She's shy like her mother, but dedicated like her father. Their second born, Karen, has short purple-blue hair like Hinata did during the Chuunin Exams and is very skilled with the Byakkugan. And their youngest, Kelly, is a perfect mix of both. She's shy and quiet like Hinata, but loyal to her friends and hard working like Naruto. Her hair's a mix of black and blonde which surprisingly looks good. Kiba and Sakura even got married and little ones of their own. A boy and a girl. The boy is just like Sakura, but has brown hair like Kiba. His name's Aki. And the girl's name is Kura and has pink brown hair with pink tips and is just like Kiba. She even has a dog of her own like Akamaru though her name is Shikimaru. Even Neji and Tenten wound up together and had a little girl named Nesse that's the spitting image of Neji, but is sweet and loving like her mother.

"Momma!"

I looked down to see Ruth looking up at me with a frown on her face.

"What is it Boogaloo?"

I asked as I picked her up.

"Lucas and the others won't stop following me around trying to protect me from everything."

She said and I smiled at her as the boys came into the house.

"It's not our fault!"

Lucas cried and the other two nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! We're your brothers, we're suppose to protect you."

Aaron said and Ruth pouted as she crossed her arms.

"It's not fair. I'm the oldest so I should be protecting you three."

She said and I smiled as I set her back on her feet.

"Listen, how 'bout you all promise to protect each other?"

I suggested and they all looked at each other before smiling and nodding in agreement.

"Okay mama!"

They all cried before laughing and running out of the house. I shook my head as I straightened back up.

"It's still hard to believe you had them all on the same day."

I heard Temari say and looked up to see her and Shikamaru walk in.

"Yeah, but it's true."

I said as I sat went back to fixing lunch for everyone.

"What are they up to?"

I asked as they sat down at the table.

"They're having Gaara teach them how to control their sand to use as a weapon."

Temari said and I couldn't help but laugh at that. Gaara had been so afraid he wouldn't be a good father, but I couldn't think of anyone who was a better father than him.

"When do you think Ino will go into labor?"

I asked as I finished making all the sandwiches and moved them to the table.

"I don't know. The doctor says any day now."

Temari said and I nodded as I watched her and Shikamaru grab one for themselves. Kankuro and Kiyomi walked in and grabbed a few before sitting on the couch in the living room.

"It's still hard to believe. So much has happened in the past couple of years, but I wouldn't change anything."

I said and Temari smiled at me.

"I know what you mean."

She said and I looked out the door to see Gaara showing Ruth how to move her sand to make a sand clone, but it fell to the ground. She started to pout until Lucas and the others encouraged her to try again. She succeeded and they all tackled her to the ground making Gaara laugh. I walked over to the door just as they all jumped on him and he fell to the ground. I couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.

"Alright you guys. Come inside and eat."

I said and they all shouted before racing past me into the kitchen followed by everyone else.

"Something amusing?"

I heard Gaara ask and turned to look up at him as he wrapped his arms around me.

"No, just enjoying what's been given to us."

I said and smiled when he leaned down and kissed me on my cheek. I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in close.

"You know I love you, right?"

I asked and he smiled down at me before leaning in closer.

"And I love you."

He said before pressing his lips against mine. A chorus of 'ewws' from the children in the room made us pull apart and smile at each other. I leaned against Gaara as I watched everyone talk and eat together as one huge family. So much has happened since Temari first found me outside the gates of Suna, and I couldn't be happier that she did.


End file.
